Abstract: A method includes receiving a plurality of unlabeled audio samples corresponding to spoken utterances not paired with corresponding transcriptions. At a target branch of a contrastive Siamese network, the method also includes generating a sequence of encoder outputs for the plurality of unlabeled audio samples and modifying time characteristics of the encoder outputs to generate a sequence of target branch outputs. At an augmentation branch of a contrastive Siamese network, the method also includes performing augmentation on the unlabeled audio samples, generating a sequence of augmented encoder outputs for the augmented unlabeled audio samples, and generating predictions of the sequence of target branch outputs generated at the target branch. The method also includes determining an unsupervised loss term based on target branch outputs and predictions of the sequence of target branch outputs. The method also includes updating parameters of the audio encoder based on the unsupervised loss term.

Abstract: A coupling system includes a vehicle cable having a plug configured to engage a vehicle charging port of a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle, an electrical outlet configured to receive a plug of an AC powered appliance, a voltage converter, an energy store, and a controller configured to provide power from the vehicle charging port to the electrical outlet. The controller may provide a signal to the charging port of a connected electrified vehicle identifying the coupling system as a charging station to enable the electrified vehicle to provide power to the charging port. The controller may control the voltage converter to charge the energy store using power form a connected electrified vehicle. The controller may control the voltage converter and energy store to stabilize power from the vehicle provided to the electrical outlet.

Abstract: A reciprocating leash to walk animals. The leash includes a handle, a slip zone, and a cord. The slip zone is located at a cord end of the handle. The cord is located in the slip zone. A middle portion of the cord is defined between a left stop and a right stop. A left end portion of the cord is defined from the left stop to a left end of the cord and a right end portion of the cord is defined from the right stop to a right end of the cord. The middle portion passes through the slip zone and is movable in and out of the slip zone through a range of travel limited to between the left stop and the right stop. The left end and the right end each include an end clip to repeatably be connected to and released from animals.

Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation are provided. The apparatus includes memory cells connected to word lines and arranged in strings. The memory cells are configured to retain a threshold voltage corresponding to memory states. Each one of the strings has drain-side select gate transistors on a drain-side of the one of the strings including top drain-side select gate transistors connected to bit lines and coupled to the memory cells of the-one of the strings. A control means is coupled to the word lines and bit lines and is configured to apply an unselected top voltage to unselected ones of the top drain-side select gate transistors during a memory operation. The control means is also configured to simultaneously apply a selected top voltage to selected ones top drain-side select gate transistors during the memory operation. The unselected top voltage is intentionally different electrically than the selected top voltage.

Abstract: A surgical model includes a first body corresponding to an ilium, the first body including a socket, a ridge around the socket, and a key in the ridge mounted to the first body for movement with respect to the ridge. The model includes a second body corresponding to a femur, the second body terminating in a head corresponding to a femoral head, wherein the head is received in the socket for movement of the second body in a plane of movement. A block is mounted for movement in the second body, and is located for confrontation with the key when the second body moves in the plane of movement. The key and block move between first and second positions. The first positions disable a full range of movement of the second body in the plane of movement, and the second positions enable the full range of movement.

Abstract: A form for constructing a foundation for batter’s and catcher’s boxes and supporting a home plate in a support structure of a synthetic turf field for playing baseball or softball includes a hollow frame comprising an open upper surface and an open lower surface, the hollow frame sized to extend under the batter’s and catcher’s boxes, and a home plate frame supportable by the hollow frame, the home plate frame having a cavity for receiving the home plate.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a set of documents associated with data discovery. The method further includes receiving, for each document in a subset of the set of documents, an indication of relevancy or non-relevancy of the document for an issue. The method further includes modifying one or more parameters for a machine-learning model based on the indication of relevancy or non-relevancy. The method further includes outputting, for each document in the set of documents, by a machine-learning model, a prediction probability of relevancy to an issue associated with the data discovery, and a ranking of the set of documents based on the prediction probability of relevancy. The method further includes generating a user interface that includes a sampling of the documents for review by a user, where each document is associated with a predicted relevancy tag or a predicted non-relevancy tag.

Abstract: An apparatus determines a first template of a first block of samples. The apparatus searches, in a search region based on the first template, for a second template of a second block of samples. The apparatus decodes the first block of samples based on an intra prediction mode determined for the second block of samples.

Abstract: Methods for preparing a silicon-based electroactive material for use in an electrochemical cell are provided. The methods include heating a silicon oxide (SiOx, where 0.1?x?2) particle to a temperature between about 600° C. and about 1200° C. over a period between about 30 minutes and about 10 hours to form the silicon-based electroactive material, where the silicon-based electroactive material includes a silicon oxide matrix and a plurality of silicon crystallites embedded therein. In certain instances, the heating may occur in an inert atmosphere such that the silicon crystallites are distributed throughout the silicon oxide matrix. In other instances, the heating may occur in a reducing environment such that the silicon crystallites are condensed in one or more regions in the silicon oxide matrix. In each instance, the silicon-based electroactive material may be carbon coated by heating the silicon-based electroactive material in an environment including hydrocarbons.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a termination box that secures and manages cables and provides an enclosed protected space for connection/splices. The termination boxes of the present disclosure protect the contents therein from being damaged due to impact. They also protect the contents from the environment, including from infestation by insects such as ants. The termination box is easily installed and easily fitted with the adapters, connectors, and cables.

Abstract: Technology for reading reversible resistivity cells in a memory array when using a current-force read is disclosed. The memory cells are first read using a current-force referenced read. If the current-force referenced read is successful, then results of the current-force referenced read are returned. If the current-force referenced read is unsuccessful, then a current-force self-referenced read (SRR) is performed and results of the current-force SRR are returned. The current-force referenced read provides a very fast read of the memory cells and can be successful in most cases. The current-force SRR provides a more accurate read in the event that the current-force referenced read is not successful. Moreover, the current-force referenced read may use less power than the current-force SRR. In an aspect this mixed current-force read is used for MRAM cells, which are especially challenging to read.

Abstract: Compounds, compositions and methods for suppressing an immune response to polyethylene glycol (PEG) are provided.

Abstract: A technique for actuating a robotic apparatus is disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the technique may be realized as an apparatus for providing controlled movement of a robotic appendage, comprising a digit, wherein the digit comprises a first joint and a second joint, and an actuator configured to control a degree of freedom of the digit. The actuator causes the first joint to bend at a first rate from a first position to a second position and the second joint to bend at a second rate from a third position to a fourth position. The first rate is faster than the second rate.

Abstract: An LED module is described herein. The LED module includes a heatsink with an LED mounting area and a referencing part that is separate from the heatsink. The referencing part is fixed to the heatsink and includes an LED alignment feature and an optical component alignment feature. At least one LED is provided on the LED mounting area of the heatsink and aligned with the LED alignment feature of the referencing part.

Abstract: Reinforced floor components of prefabricated bathroom pods. The floor components are reinforced and integrated into bathroom pods or other building units in such a manner as to add significant strength to the bathroom pods to resist bending, twisting and sagging, and/or to aid in lifting and supporting the weight of the bathroom pods, and thereby add to the structural integrity of the prefabricated bathroom pods to which they are attached.

Abstract: An illustrative heating section of a dye sublimation machine may utilize a plurality of configurable pyrometers. The pyrometers may take the corresponding temperature measurements remotely without interacting with any mechanical moving parts of the dye sublimation machine and therefore may be more robust against breakage. The pyrometers may be directed at the membrane covering the printed sheet and therefore may provide more accurate temperature measurements. Furthermore, the angular orientation of the pyrometers may be configured that may allow the pyrometers to dynamically measure the temperature of multiple spots in the heating section. In addition to the pyrometers in the heating section, a plurality of pyrometers may be provided to measure the temperature in the cooling section of the dye sublimation machine.

Abstract: A method of forming an aluminum alloy component including melting and solidifying an aluminum alloy, solution treating the aluminum alloy, and heat treating the aluminum alloy. The aluminum alloy includes scandium, zirconium, erbium, silicon, at least one of molybdenum and tungsten, manganese and the balance aluminum and incidental impurities. The concentration of the alloying elements, in atom %, is greater than 0.0 and less than or equal to 0.15 scandium, greater than 0.0 and less than or equal to 0.35 zirconium, greater than 0.0 and less than or equal to 0.15 erbium, greater than 0.0 and less than or equal to 0.2 silicon, greater than 0.0 and less or equal to 0.75 molybdenum when included, greater than 0.0 and less than or equal to 0.35 tungsten when included.

Abstract: A method for controlling a well pumping system is provided. The method includes the steps of entering a pump intake depth, a minimum fill preset, a maximum fill preset, and a gain value into a controller for the well pumping system, and determining a fluid over pump level. If the fluid over pump level is zero, the method calls for setting a target pump fill equal to the maximum fill preset. If the fluid over pump level is not zero, the method calls for calculating a fluid over pump ratio using the pump intake depth, and calculating the target pump fill using the fluid over pump ratio and the gain value. Further, the method includes calculating a pump fill error as the difference between the target pump fill and an actual pump fill. The method further includes controlling a pumping speed of the well pumping system based on the pump fill error.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a shared collaborative channel for collaboration are provided. In particular, a computing device may receive a request, from an originating member of an organization, to create the shared collaborative channel, the request including an invitee to be added to the shared collaborative channel. In response to receipt of the request, the computing device may provision a substrate group by creating a container associate with the shared collaborative channel including a substrate database associated with the shared collaborative channel, generate an invitation including a custom link to the shared collaborative channel for the invitee, and determine whether the invitee belongs to an originating collaboration team associated with the originating member based on the substrate database. If the invitee belongs to the originating collaboration team, the computing device may further update the substrate group to add the invitee as a new member of the shared collaborative channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides capsular polysaccharides from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes identified using NMR. The present invention further provides polysaccharide-protein conjugates in which capsular polysaccharides from one or more of these serotypes are conjugated to a carrier protein such as CRM197. Polysaccharide-protein conjugates from one or more of these serotypes may be included in multivalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines having polysaccharides from multiple additional Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes.