Abstract: A gaming machine and method include a monetary input device, a user interface configured to: enable a player to select a wager for a game of chance having a skill-based activity, to interact with the game of chance using a gaming input device. A processor is programmed to enable the player to win a prize based at least in part on input from the gaming input device, and to set at least one parameter of the skill-based activity or the gaming input device to a first difficulty for winning the prize during a first game of a gaming session including a plurality of games, and to adjust the parameter to modify the difficulty to a second difficulty for winning the prize during a subsequent game of the gaming session to maintain a predetermined percentage or percentage range of money or credits returned to the player (RTP) during the gaming session.

Abstract: An expander, preferably for use in expanding a host pipe to be refurbished. A floating pad is disposed to be displaced relative to a chassis by at least one retractable and extendable piston such that the expander has a first expansion range between fully-retracted and fully-extended states. A floating pad jacket and a chassis jacket are disposed to be removably attached to the floating pad and chassis, such that the floating pad jacket increases the first expansion range of the expander to a second expansion range when the floating pad jacket is attached to the floating pad, and the chassis jacket increases the first expansion range of the expander to a third expansion range when the chassis jacket is attached to the chassis. At least one piston may be configured to be extended and retracted independently.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method, an electronic device, and a computer program product for failure handling. This failure handling method includes determining a sector set failure type associated with at least one failed sector set of a disk; if the sector set failure type indicates that the number of failed sector sets in the at least one failed sector set is greater than a first threshold number, generating an instruction for replacing the disk; and otherwise performing at least one of the following: migrating data from a failed sector set in which the number of failed sectors is greater than a second threshold number to a spare sector set, and performing a failure recovery for a failed sector set in which the number of failed sectors is less than or equal to the second threshold number.

Abstract: A method, computer program, and computer system is provided for processing point cloud data. Quantized point cloud data including a plurality of voxels is received. An occupancy map is generated for the quantized point cloud corresponding to lost voxels during quantization from among the plurality of voxels. A point cloud is reconstructed from the quantized point cloud data based on populating the lost voxels.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to terpene synthases capable of producing terpenoids. In one instance, a transformed organism can include terpene synthases or vectors encoding such synthases. One method of employing such synthases and organisms includes protecting an algal culture, in which the produced terpenoid can act as a biocide.

Abstract: A ballistic panel formed with a ballistic material, the panel comprising: a panel with a filled void; wherein the filled void is filled with a ballistic replacement material; and wherein the filled void exhibits ballistic properties equivalent to the ballistic panel formed with the ballistic material; wherein the ballistic replacement material and the ballistic material comprise between about 1121 kg/cubic meter (about 70 pounds per cubic foot) and about 1442 kg/cubic meter (about 90 pounds per cubic foot); and wherein the ballistic replacement material and the ballistic material comprise: about 1 part by mass Portland cement; about 0.5 to 1.5 part by mass fine aggregate; and about 0.0005 to 0.05 part by mass air entrainment additive; about 0.005 to 0.15 part by mass fiber; about 0.005 to 0.05 part by mass aluminum hydroxide and about 0.005 to 0.05 part by mass calcium phosphate.

Abstract: A near-eye imaging system includes a light source, a waveguide, a scanner, and a sensor. The light source is configured to emit light. The waveguide includes an output coupler. The scanner is configured to direct the light to the output coupler at varying scan angles. The waveguide confines the light to guide the light to the output coupler. The output coupler has negative optical power and is configured to direct the light to exit the waveguide as expanding illumination light toward an eyebox region. The sensor is configured to generate a tracking signal in response to returning light incident on the sensor via the scanner and via the output coupler.

Abstract: Disclosed are examples for adjusting screen brightness based on screen content being presented on a display screen of a mobile device. The described examples may determine a time at which the screen content is to be evaluated. The screen content is categorized based on the evaluation. A category of the screen content may be input into a machine learning algorithm that may be used to determine whether a screen brightness adjustment is appropriate. If a screen brightness adjustment is appropriate, a degree of the screen brightness adjustment may be determined.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to a system and method for integrating pet health records, and more specifically to an integrated pet health record that is configured to collect, store, maintain, analyze, and provide recommendations about a pet's health from a variety of sources. The system may analyze health conditions for a pet on both an individual basis and in regards to a global population. This analysis provides an assessment of the pet based on pet type, breed, age, weight, geographic location, living conditions, diet, exercise, and more. The system may also generate global statistics, providing various metrics that can be applied to sub-populations of pets. Advantageously, the system is configured to categorize causes and symptoms based on the pet's health conditions and how treatments can be refined to improve outcomes, and transmit that information to a client device.

Abstract: An implant removal tool (1) used to remove a femoral implant (17) from a femur bone (18) by providing a substantially U-shaped body (2) having a substantially rectangular-shaped opening (9) located thereon that allows the substantially U-shaped body to be placed over a neck (21) of a femoral implant so a sharpened front edge (5) of the substantially U-shaped body makes direct contact with an inner surface of the stein of the femoral implant. The U-shaped body may have front side edges (26, 27) that extend beyond a front edge (5) to allow the front side edges to cut anterior and posterior surface of the implant.

Abstract: In one aspect, an example method includes a processor (1) applying a feature map network to an image to create a feature map comprising a grid of vectors characterizing at least one feature in the image and (2) applying a probability map network to the feature map to create a probability map assigning a probability to the at least one feature in the image, where the assigned probability corresponds to a likelihood that the at least one feature is an overlay. The method further includes the processor determining that the probability exceeds a threshold, and responsive to the processor determining that the probability exceeds the threshold, performing a processing action associated with the at least one feature.

Abstract: A system has been described that performs differential temperature compensation based on a differential between the temperature at time of programming and temperature at time of reading for a set of data. Differential temperature compensation is useful for bulk programming/reading (e.g., many pages of data) and/or programming/reading super pages of data (multiple pages residing on different memory die).

Abstract: Techniques for improving performance in a video conferencing system by using an automated testing system are described herein. The testing system can receive a request, from a user, for a meeting bot to participate in a video conference being hosted by a video conferencing system. The meeting bot. The system can select a first meeting bot from a plurality of meeting bots. Additionally, the system can grant access control of the first meeting bot to the user. Moreover, the system can obtain, from the first meeting bot, metrics data of the first meeting bot that is associated with performance of the video conference. Furthermore, the system can calculate a performance value based on the metrics data of the first meeting bot. Subsequently, the system can perform a task based on the performance value.

Abstract: A system and method recover process gas from a source volume at a source pressure to a destination volume at an equal or greater pressure. A regulation process receive the process gas from the source volume and steps down the pressure. Each regulation uses one or more stage each using a pressure control valve for pressure step down and a heat exchanger for reheating the process gas thereafter. A gas scrubber receives the process gas from the regulation stages and collecting liquid from the process gas. A compression process receives the process gas from the gas scrubber and steps up the intermediate pressure to a final pressure. The compression can use one or more compression stages, each having a compression cycle for pressure step up and a heat exchanger for cooling the process gas thereafter. A discharge vessel receives the process gas from the compression process and discharges the process gas at the final pressure to the destination volume.

Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for performing X-ray scans with a single line of sight using a lens array for capturing the light field of the X-rays are described. In one example aspect, an X-ray optical system includes a primary optics subsection positioned to receive incoming X-rays after traversal through an object and to redirect the received incoming X-rays onto an intermediate image plane. The system also includes a microlens array positioned at or close to the intermediate image plane to receive at least some of the received incoming X-rays after redirection by the primary optics subsection to diffract the X-rays that are incident thereupon.

Abstract: A lighting device is described. The lighting device includes a support structure, which includes a central mounting face and at least one first lateral mounting face adjacent the central mounting face and forming an included angle with the central mounting face of 60° to 90°. The device also includes at least one central light emitting element on the central mounting face and in contact with the support structure and at least one first lateral light emitting element on the first lateral mounting face and in contact with the support structure.

Abstract: A terminal block including a body, a plug, and a lever. The plug extends from the body to connect to an outlet. As the plug connects to an outlet, the plug is configured to receive an electrical pin and/or another conductor. In one example, the outlet and pin are part of an audio device. The body is configured to receive a wire and/or another conductor. The lever is configured to actuate between an open position and a closed position. In the open position, the lever is configured to compress an internal spring to receive a wire. In the closed position, the lever is configured to release the spring such as to retain the wire.

Abstract: Wireless communications for a sidelink are described. A wireless devices and/or a base station may determine at least one resource and/or time period for communications via a sidelink. The base station and/or the wireless device may schedule sidelink communication, based on the determined resource(s) and/or time period(s), which may increase the likelihood of successful sidelink communications between wireless devices.

Abstract: A method for automatically authenticating unknown video data based on known video data stored at a client server is provided, wherein, unknown and known video data each are made up of segments and include metadata, a hash message digest, and a serial code. The method involves selecting a first segment of the unknown video and locating the serial code within the first segment of the unknown video data. The serial code is used to locate a corresponding first segment in the known video data. The first segment may include a known hash message digest. A new hash message digest for the first segment of the unknown video data is generated and compared with the known hash message digest. If they match, the segment of unknown video data is authentic.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for recognizing gestures performed by a user, including techniques for conserving power when performing finger or hand gesture recognition operations that involve processing electromyography (EMG) data. In one example, a wearable device capable of being worn by a user comprises: a motion detector configured to detect motion of the wearable device; a tissue movement sensor configured to collect tissue movement information associated with motion of muscles or tissues beneath the user's skin; and a gesture detection module.