Abstract: A hydrophilic graphitic material is provided that may be formed by heating a graphitic material to a temperature between about 150° C. to about 1400° C. for an extended period of time under an inert atmosphere. Annealing CNT film at 500 to 1400 removes amorphous carbon to produce purified CNT film. The purified CNT film can be further densified with the treatment of alkylphosphonic acid or alkyldiphophonic acid and heating to produce a hydrophilic, densified CNT film which is mechanically robust and does not adhere to other solid surfaces. These films can be used as filtration membranes with superior membrane fouling resistance among other uses.

Abstract: An illuminating unit includes: a plurality of light sources; a light-guide plate including an end surface disposed to face the plurality of light sources, a first surface that outputs light which is based on incident light from the end surface, and a second surface that faces the first surface and includes a plurality of convex parts; and an optical sheet adhered to side of the second surface of the light-guide plate, with the plurality of convex parts being interposed therebetween. The plurality of convex parts include a plurality of first convex parts disposed in a first region inside the second surface, and one or plurality of second convex parts disposed in at least a portion of a second region on a periphery of the first region inside the second surface.

Abstract: A sports glove, such as a lacrosse glove or a hockey glove, for a player or other wearer. The sports glove comprises a hand covering for protecting a hand of the wearer. The hand covering comprises protective padding. The hand covering comprises a palm portion for overlying a palm of the wearer's hand, a back portion for overlying a back of the wearer's hand, finger portions for receiving fingers of the wearer's hand, and a thumb portion for receiving a thumb of the wearer's hand. The sports glove comprises a cuff for overlying a wrist of the wearer. The cuff comprises protective padding. The cuff is adjustable. For example, the cuff may be flared relative to the hand covering and configured such that a flare of the cuff is adjustable.

Abstract: One example method for detecting phases of a surgical procedure via video processing includes accessing a video of the surgical procedure and dividing the video into one or more blocks, each of the blocks containing one or more video frames. For each of the blocks, the method includes applying a prediction model on the video frames of the respective block to obtain a phase prediction for each of the video frames. The prediction model is configured to predict, for an input video frame, one of the plurality of phases of the surgical procedure. The method further includes generating an aggregated phase prediction for the respective block by aggregating the phase predictions of the video frames, and modifying the video of the surgical procedure to include an indication of a predicted phase of the respective block based on the aggregated phase prediction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a battery having a conductive terminal extending beyond a surface of a battery cover, the conductive terminal having an internal portion and an external surface, wherein the internal portion comprises lead and external surface comprises a non-lead conductive material. Further disclosed is a method for producing such a battery.

Abstract: A virtual assistant system for communicating with customers uses human intelligence to correct any errors in the system AI, while collecting data for machine learning and future improvements for more automation. The system may use a modular design, with separate components for carrying out different system functions and sub-functions, and with frameworks for selecting the component best able to respond to a given customer conversation.

Abstract: Methods and systems disclosed herein describe obfuscating plaintext cryptographic material stored in memory. A random location in an obfuscation buffer may be selected for each byte of the plaintext cryptographic material. The location of each byte of the plaintext cryptographic material may be stored in a position tracking buffer. To recover the scrambled plaintext cryptographic material, the location of each byte of the plaintext cryptographic material may be read from the position tracking buffer. Each byte of the plaintext cryptographic material may then be read from the obfuscation buffer and written to a temporary buffer. When each byte of the plaintext cryptographic material is recovered, the plaintext cryptographic material may be used to perform one or more cryptographic operations. The scrambling techniques described herein reduce the likelihood of a malicious user recovering plaintext cryptographic material while stored in memory.

Abstract: A mental impairment detection system and non-invasive method of detecting mental impairment of a user are provided. A test (e.g., an inhibitory reflex test or a sustained attention test) is administered to the user, brain activity in a frontal lobe of the user is non-invasively detected while the test is administered to the user, and a level of mental impairment of the user is determined based on the brain activity detected in the frontal lobe of the user.

Abstract: An improved wheel for a mobility apparatus designed is disclosed herein. The wheel conforms to obstacles in the ground, creating a smoother walking experience. The inner web of a tire of the wheel preferably consists of polygonal reliefs offset from each other over multiple layers in a radially symmetric pattern to create a web which naturally compresses to absorb shock from obstacles. The tire's inner core preferably consists of a hexagonal membrane that extends parallel to the axel of the tire and extends out of each side of the wheel such that it is visible.

Abstract: A method for developing a map of objects in a region surrounding a location is disclosed. The method includes interrogating the region along a detection axis with a series of optical pulses and detecting reflections of the optical pulses that originate at objects located along the detection axis. A multi-dimensional map of the region is developed by scanning the detection axis about the location in at least one dimension. The reflections are detected via a single-photon detector that is armed using a sub-gating scheme such that the single-photon detector selectively detects photons of reflections that originate only within each of a plurality of zones that collectively define the detection field. In some embodiments, the optical pulses have a wavelength within the range of 1350 nm to 1390 nm, which is a spectral range having a relatively high eye-safety threshold and a relatively low solar background.

Abstract: Systems and methods for designing a hybrid neural network comprising at least one physical neural network component and at least one digital neural network component. A loss function is defined within a design space composed of a plurality of voxels, the design space encompassing one or more physical structures of the at least one physical neural network component and one or more architectural features of the digital neural network. Values are determined for at least one functional parameter for the one or more physical structures, and the at least one architectural parameter for the one or more architectural features, using a domain solver to solve Maxwell's equations so that a loss determined according to the loss function is within a threshold loss. Final structures are defined for the at least one physical neural network component and the digital neural network component based on the values.

Abstract: A wrapper for a smoking article has a base web and a plurality of elements each having at least a pair of patch areas where diffusivity is in the range of 0 to about 0.2 cm/sec. Patches of adjacent elements are circumferentially offset from one another along the axis of a smoking article. The add-on material can be applied by gravure printing in a single pass in a chevron pattern such that an apex of the element is co-linear with substantially symmetrically spaced points on a trailing, outer edge of an adjacent element. Testing elements may be simultaneously printed with the add-on material to monitor diffusivity and/or presence of add-on material.

Abstract: A beverage container having a straw storage compartment in the base of the container for a self-contained straw is described herein. The beverage container may comprise a container body having a beverage holding chamber and a straw storage compartment configured to enable storage of a removable drinking straw. A removable bottom closure component may be provided for opening and closing the straw storage compartment. The straw-holding structure may be attached to a wall defining the straw storage compartment or attached to an inner portion of the removable bottom closure component, such that when the removable bottom closure component is positioned to close the straw storage compartment, the straw-holding structure is located within the straw storage compartment. When the removable bottom closure component is fully engaged with the container body at an open lower end of the container body, the removable drinking straw may be entirely enclosed within the beverage container.

Abstract: The described technology is generally directed towards efficiently organizing data in a single, non-distributed database as an associated array of key-value pairs implemented on top of a storage medium that allows only data appends. A table segment in an append-only storage medium is accessed by table keys. The table keys are hashed into key values used to access information in an attribute index (a search tree) that contains offsets to the table segment entries. Hashing the table keys can result in a series of hash parts, including a primary hash part corresponding to a node in the attribute index, and as needed in the event of hash collisions, secondary hash parts that map to child nodes in the attribute index.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to managing visualizations of data using a network computer. A modeling engine may provide a data model that includes a plurality of data objects and a display model that includes a plurality of display objects based on the plurality of data objects. Parameter action objects may be associated with display objects in the display model. In response to an activation of the parameter action objects, values associated with display objects may be assigned to the parameter associated with a parameter action object and actions associated with the parameter may be executed to modify the display model.

Abstract: A multi-functional control, a control system, and a method of controlling a system in a vehicle. The multi-functional control includes a base plate, a post extending through a slot in the base plate, and at least two stacked knobs, rotatably and tilt-ably attached to the post. The stacked knobs include a display knob and a base knob. The multi-functional control further includes a plurality of sensors. The sensors include a first touch sensor integrated in the display knob, a second touch sensor integrated in the base knob, a first rotary sensor integrated in the display knob, a second rotary sensor integrated in the base knob, a rocker switch connected to the stacked knobs, and a push-button switch connected to the stacked knobs. The multi-functional control also includes a sliding sensor. The post and stacked knobs are mounted to the sliding sensor.

Abstract: A method for determining contamination of a biosensor in which the biosensor is loaded into a test meter and a sample is then applied. First and second predetermined test voltages are applied between spaced electrodes of the biosensor for respective first and second predetermined time intervals. First and second current values are measured during the respective first and second predetermined time intervals. Reference values are determined based on the measured first and second current values. Based on one or more of the reference values, a determination of contamination is made. Reporting of the analyte concentration of the sample can be suppressed based on the determination.

Abstract: A chair is disclosed for providing water and air adjustable massage. The massage chair includes a surface that is easy to clean, and water-filled rollers within the chair to apply a massaging effect to the body of the user thereon. Each water-filled roller incorporates a foam inner roller that is surrounded by either a cylindrical water-filled wrap or water-filled inserts. The massage chair incorporates a leg section to perform a percussive and vibrating massage on the legs of the user thereon. The massage chair has the ability to recline and to apply heat and/or cooling to the user thereon. The massage chair incorporates auto-sensing controls, massage pattern software, and Cloud Control Software that enables the owner in a commercial environment to establish the time for use, frequency, and price for the massage session.

Abstract: ‘BB14-232PT-2’, is the second known genotype selected in a tropical environment of Peru. ‘BB14-232PT-2’ does not require chill-hours for either budbreak or fruit production, possibly because ‘BB14-232PT-2’ does not develop endo-dormancy. The fruit of ‘BB14-232PT-2’ is a medium to large size berry, with medium dark blue color, excellent fruit firmness and crunchy texture. The eating quality of ‘BB14-232PT-2’ is excellent and superior to many of the varieties currently grown in Peru, with a sugar/acidity balance of 16 to 20. Time of fruit production in ‘BB14-232PT-2’ can be regulated by the pruning date and environment conditions.