Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods for producing cathode materials for lithium ion batteries. Cathode materials that contain manganese are emphasized. Representative materials include LixNi1?y?zMnyCozO2 (NMC) (where x is in the range from 0.80 to 1.3, y is in the range from 0.01 to 0.5, and z is in the range from 0.01 to 0.5), LixMn2O4 (LM), and LixNi1?yMnyO2 (LMN) (where x is in the range from 0.8 to 1.3 and y is in the range from 0.0 to 0.8). The process includes reactions of carboxylate precursors of nickel, manganese, and/or cobalt and lithiation with a lithium precursor. The carboxylate precursors are made from reactions of pure metals or metal compounds with carboxylic acids. The manganese precursor contains bivalent manganese and the process controls the oxidation state of manganese to avoid formation of higher oxidation states of manganese.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein can include a digital assistant application that receives sensor signals from sensors installed in a vehicle and determines an entry event into the vehicle. The digital assistant application can receive, responsive to the entry event into the vehicle, a plurality authentication input signals from a plurality of sensors associated with the vehicle. The digital assistant application can determine a plurality of authentication states based on the plurality of authentication input signals and a plurality of authentication credentials. The digital assistant application can identify an access permission level of a plurality of access permission levels based at least in part on the plurality of identifies authentication states. The digital assistant application can identify, responsive to the access permission level, a subset of a set of functionalities available via the vehicle, and provide vehicular access to the subset of functionalities.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, systems, apparatus, interfaces, methods, and articles of manufacture are provided for providing information incorporating additional data feeds, creating common arrangements, and improving performance in a virtual meeting.

Abstract: A liquid dispersion includes a matrix phase of polymerizable material and at least 10% by volume of solid conductive particles distributed throughout the matrix. The conductive particles may have an average particle size of less than approximately 100 nm, and the liquid dispersion may have a viscosity of less than approximately 100 Poise. Such a liquid dispersion may be printed or extruded and then cured to form a solid thin film. The content and distribution of conductive particles within the thin film may reach a percolation threshold such that the thin film may form a conductive layer. Polymer-based devices, such as nanovoided polymer (NVP)-based actuators may be formed by co-extrusion of a nanovoided polymer material between conductive polymer electrodes.

Abstract: A device is provided. The device includes a reflective polarizer configured to selectively reflect or transmit a polarized light based on a polarization of the polarized light. The device also includes a display element disposed at a first side of the reflective polarizer, and configured to output a first image light representing a virtual image. The device also includes a polarization switch disposed between the display element and the reflective polarizer, and configured to switch or maintain a polarization of the first image light. The device further includes an active dimming device disposed at a second side of the reflective polarizer, and configured to provide an adjustable transmittance of an input light.

Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods provide for generating real-time egress plans for users in a building, based on the users' current locations. As the users' current locations change, egress plans associated with the users can be dynamically modified in real-time. The egress plans can also be generated, modified, and/or trained based on inputted information about the user. The disclosed technology can include a mobile application for presenting, in a centralized interface, information about user-specific egress plans, training the user for different emergency scenarios, improving or changing features in the building to improve safety, and user profiles. The mobile application can include training simulation games to help prepare the users to safely egress during an emergency. The disclosed technology can also predict building component and structure emergency risk levels. The disclosed technology can also designate zones in the building based on possible egress routes.

Abstract: Drag Detection is provided. A system includes one or more processors of a vehicle, coupled with memory. The one or more processors can determine, for a vehicle, rolling drag based on energy input to one or more motors of the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle. The one or more processors can select, based on the rolling drag and a friction level associated with a surface on which the vehicle traverses, a slip target for the vehicle. The one or more processors can provide the slip target to a traction control system of the vehicle to control the one or more motors.

Abstract: A prosthetic intervertebral spacer includes a body having a front end, a rear end, an anterior side, a posterior side, a top surface, and a bottom surface, and an arcuate interface extending away from the body and being connected to the rear end and the posterior side of the body. A method of inserting and positioning the spacer includes engaging a tool to the interface, inserting the spacer at least partially into the intervertebral disc space by moving the tool along an insertion direction, and allowing the spacer to rotate with respect to the insertion direction within the intervertebral disc space while continuing to move the tool along the insertion direction.

Abstract: Portable exercise incline board devices and methods for exercise and balance fitness that can be easily assembled, disassembled and transported. The incline board can be assembled from a generally rectangular top ice with raised upper surface, along with a pair of right triangle support pieces and a rear vertical piece wherein raised protrusions align into mateable grooves so that the pieces slide and lock together for assembly and slide apart for disassembly.

Abstract: A simulation may be used to determine a difference between progress of a manually-driven vehicle and progress of a simulated autonomous vehicle. The method includes retrieving log data collected for the manually-driven vehicle driving along a route, generating a plurality of path segments for a portion of the route. The plurality of path segments corresponds to points in a lane that the manually-driven vehicle traveled through on the portion of the route. The method also includes running, using a software of the autonomous vehicle, a simulation of the autonomous vehicle driving along the plurality of path segments, extracting metrics from the log data and the simulation, and determining the difference between a first progress of the manually-driven vehicle and a second progress of the simulated autonomous vehicle based on the metrics.

Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer program products for determining an ammunition round count by resistive encoding. According to one embodiment, a system for providing an indication of a number of rounds of ammunition in a magazine of a firearm includes a follower for the rounds to rest upon, where the follower is internal to the magazine and pushes the follower and the rounds toward a mouth of the magazine to facilitate feeding the rounds into the firearm. The system also includes a resistive strip membrane potentiometer sensor arranged substantially along a length of the magazine that generates an output voltage when a first and a second circuit are connected by applying pressure to a surface of the sensor. The output voltage varies based on a position where the pressure is applied to the surface of the sensor and the first and second circuits are connected.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage medium, for predicting a likelihood of a future computer memory failure. In one aspect training data inputs are obtained, where each training data input includes correctable memory error data that describes correctable errors that occurred in a computer memory and data indicating whether the correctable errors produced a failure of the computer memory. For each training data input, image representations of the correctable memory error data included in the training data input are generated. The image representations are processed using a machine learning model to output an estimated likelihood of a future failure of the computer memory. A difference between the estimated likelihood of the future failure of the computer memory and the data indicating whether the correctable errors produced a failure of the computer memory is computed. Values of model parameters are updated using the computed difference.

Abstract: An undergarment for generally covering the pelvic region of a wearer is adapted to finger graspable pulls shaped and located to aid a wearer with diminished motor capacity and/or manual (i.e., hand) dexterity to more easily put on and take off the undergarment independently, without needing precise finger, hand, and arm control. The undergarment desirably uses materials, color choices, and decorative trim and elements to make the finger pulls and/or to decorate the undergarment to make the undergarment look more aesthetically appealing and reduce resemblance to specialty medical garment used by medical patients.

Abstract: A system includes a first renewable energy source (RES) configured to provide electrical energy, a first circuit including a first energy storage system (ESS) and a point of interconnection (POI) coupled to a power grid, a second circuit including a second ESS and a source-sensitive destination, and a first switch configured to selectively connect one of the first circuit or the second circuit to the first RES.

Abstract: In an aspect, a method of manufacturing a high purity copper-based alloy comprises providing in a melting furnace a feedstock and melting the feedstock. The method additionally includes bubbling an inert gas into the molten copper-based alloy to form the high purity copper-based alloy. Aspects are also directed to an apparatus and a method of fabricating an apparatus for manufacturing the high purity copper-based alloy.

Abstract: A vehicle including a body and an aerial device operable to rotate, extend, and retract relative to the body. The vehicle further includes a control panel, an electronic display, a computer control system, and an aerial elevation sensor that senses an elevation of the aerial device, wherein the computer control system receives a piece of data corresponding with the elevation and generates a graphical representation of the current operating ability of the aerial device based on the elevation that is displayed on the electronic display of the control panel.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computing system for enabling usage of a conversational application by a plurality of users; gathering usage data concerning usage of the conversational application by the plurality of users; defining a visual representation of the conversational application; and overlaying the usage data onto the visual representation of the conversational application to generate visual traffic flow data.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to novel depsipeptides, to methods for the preparation of these novel depsipeptides, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the novel depsipeptides; and to methods of using the novel depsipeptides to treat or inhibit various disorders.