Abstract: An apparatus for providing tongue stabilization during oral appliance therapy. The tongue stabilization apparatus is configured to hold a user's tongue in place or prohibit it from dropping back posteriorly, thereby stabilizing the user's tongue in a non-obstructive position through sleep, which can help to prevent the user from experiencing obstructive sleep apnea.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for removing clothing. Specifically, the device may be used to remove a sock from a user's foot. The device may have a handle end, a removing end, and a shaft. A removing head may be configured at the removing end. A first flange may extend from the shaft away from the handle end. A second flange and third flange may be configured on the removing head. The second shaft may extend away from the handle end, and the third flange may extend towards the handle end. The third flange may be configured to catch the user's pant leg to lift the pant leg towards the user's knee. The first and second flanges may be configured to catch the user's sock to remove the sock from the user's foot.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that include operations such as detecting a plurality of computing devices configured as a distributed ambient computing system, receiving a request to execute a computing task, obtaining, from the distributed ambient computing system, data representing a device context for at least two of the plurality of devices, generating a combined context corresponding to the distributed ambient computing system, the combined context representing a combination of the device context for the at least two devices, generating and providing at least one decision request based on the computing task and the combined context, receiving a response to the at least one decision request, and triggering execution of the computing task based on the response and the combined context.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices implement counters with fault tolerance and power loss protection. Systems include a non-volatile memory device that includes a first counter configured to store a first plurality of data values representing a plurality of count operations, and a second counter configured to store a second plurality of data values representing an initiation and a completion of each erase operation performed on the first counter. Systems also include control circuitry configured to generate a count value based on a current counter value of the first counter, a current counter value of the second counter, and at least one physical parameter of the first counter.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and methods for enhancing evaporation rates of a fluid, such as fluid including dissolved solids (e.g., a wastewater pond). In one example, a system includes a pump configured to pressurize air and an agitation assembly fluidly coupled to the pump, where the agitation assembly is configured to emit an air stream that impacts a top surface of the fluid body to generate droplets.

Abstract: A method of treating a fluid comprises introducing a feed fluid stream comprising multiple materials to first side of a semi-permeable membrane. A draw fluid stream having a higher temperature than the feed fluid stream is introduced to second, opposing side of the semi-permeable membrane to form a thermal gradient across the semi-permeable membrane. One or more of the multiple materials of the feed fluid stream is drawn through the semi-permeable membrane and into the draw fluid stream via thermal gradient osmosis. A fluid treatment system and a thermal gradient osmosis apparatus are also described.

Abstract: An electrified vehicle includes a contactor having a coil operable by a low-voltage control signal to selectively electrically couple a terminal of a high-voltage bus to a charger receiving power from an external source. A programmed controller predicts the time it will take for the contactor to close after receiving a command based on the coil temperature and voltage of the command signal. The controller generates the low-voltage control signal responsive to a difference between bus voltage and charger voltage being less than a first threshold at the predicted closing time of the contactor. The control signal may also depend on the rate of change of the charger voltage being below a second threshold.

Abstract: A medication dispenser apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a container configured to hold medication, a display interface, and a controller configured to perform, in sequence, a learning operation in which the controller learns a medication dispensing regimen of the container, a validation operation in which the controller validates the learned medication dispensing regimen; and a notification operation in which the controller provides on the display interface a status of use of the container for medication dispensing in relation to the learned medication dispensing regimen.

Abstract: A calibration method for an x-ray computerized tomography system and a method of tomographic reconstruction are provided. The calibration method includes steps of measuring at least one point spread function (PSF) at each of a plurality of points, compressing each PSF, and in one or more storing operations, storing the compressed PSFs in a computer-accessible storage medium. The PSF measurements are made in a grid of calibration points in a field of view (FOV) of the system. In the measuring step, an absorber is positioned at each of the calibration points, and an x-ray projection is taken at least once at each of those absorber positions. In the method of tomographic image reconstruction, projection data from an x-ray tomographic projection system are input to an iterative image reconstruction algorithm.

Abstract: The method includes first arranging a liquid storage portion to hold a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, second arranging a wick and an aerosol generator to communicate the liquid aerosol-forming substrate from the liquid storage portion and at least partially vaporize the liquid aerosol-forming substrate, third arranging a tilt sensor to sense an angle of orientation value of the liquid storage portion, and configuring at least one processor of an electrical circuit to monitor the angle of orientation value as sensed by the tilt sensor to determine a depletion value of the liquid aerosol-forming substrate based at least in part on the angle of orientation value, while the aerosol-generating device is in any physical orientation.

Abstract: A fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell assembly with at least a first fuel cell stack and a second fuel cell stack. Waste gas extracted from the first fuel cell stack is routed to an input of the second fuel cell stack. The first and second fuel cell stacks may be of the same size or the second fuel cell stack may be sized smaller than the first fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, computer program product and computing system for: processing an unencoded data file to identify a plurality of file segments; mapping each of the plurality of file segments to a portion of a dictionary file to generate a plurality of mappings that each include a starting location and a length, thus generating a related encoded data file based, at least in part, upon the plurality of mappings; receiving a request to manipulate the unencoded data file; and processing the related encoded data file based, at least in part, upon the plurality of mappings and the dictionary file to generate a modified encoded data file that represents the requested manipulations of the unencoded data file.

Abstract: Techniques for delivering lubricant to a packing assembly of a fluid end of a reciprocating pump include delivering lubricant to a stuffing box that is housing a packing assembly or to a manifold disposed in or around the stuffing box. The lubricant configured to decrease friction between an interior surface of the packing assembly and a reciprocating component moving along the interior surface. Prior to delivering the lubricant to the interior surface of the packing assembly, the lubricant is diverted to multiple radial flow paths circumferentially spaced around a bore in which the packing assembly is disposed. The multiple radial flow paths lead to the interior surface of the packing assembly and the lubricant flowing through the multiple radial flow paths is metered at different flow rates based on a friction gradient across the interior surface of the packing assembly.

Abstract: An adapter may be used to couple an imaging device, such as a smartphone, to an optical device such as a telescope. The adapter may have an optical device mounting feature that mounts the adapter to the optical device, an imaging device mounting feature that mounts the imaging device to the adapter, and a positioning mechanism that adjustably positions the imaging device mounting feature relative to the optical device mounting feature. The adapter may also have a joint, distinct from the positioning mechanism, configured to move the optical device mounting feature between a stowed (e.g., “folded”) configuration, in which the optical device mounting feature is positioned alongside the imaging device support surface, and a deployed (e.g., “unfolded”) configuration, in which a camera of the imaging device is positionable, using positioning mechanism, in alignment with the optical device mounting feature with the imaging device mounted on the imaging device mounting feature.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are provided for enhanced sensor cleaning validation. A device may receive a signal from a sensor indicative of an obstruction on the sensor. The device may activate a cleaning system at a degree of actuation responsive to the obstruction. The device may then obtain a first post-clean performance measurement of the sensor. The device may then adjust the degree of actuation of the cleaning system based on a degradation measurement between a baseline performance measurement associated with a clean performance baseline of the sensor and the first post-clean performance measurement.