Abstract: An inflatable structure includes a top end cap, a bottom end cap, a bladder, a nozzle, a loop, and a first tether. The bladder is attached to the top and bottom end caps and is configured to hold pressurized fluid therebetween. The nozzle is configured to allow fluid to enter and exit the bladder. The loop is attached to one of the top and bottom end caps. A tether is disposed within the bladder, coupled to the other one of the top and bottom end caps, and extends through the at least one loop. The top end cap assumes a first position when the bladder is inflated. When the top end cap is adjusted from the first position to a second position, the first tether is configured to maintain the top end cap in the second position.

Abstract: An adapter for releasably attaching a syringe to an injector. The adapter comprises a mounting mechanism positioned at a rear end of the adapter to mount the adapter in a desired position relative to a front wall of the injector; and a syringe carrier section adapted to seat at least a portion of the syringe. The syringe carrier section defines a first opening on a top thereof to allow placement of the syringe therein from the top and a second opening in a rear section thereof to allow the drive member of the injector to communicate forward force to the plunger. A cover portion extends over a rearward end of the first opening and has a first end configured to abut the flange of the syringe when the syringe is positioned within the syringe carrier section.

Abstract: A system including a lock class having a plurality of lock families, with each lock family including a plurality of lock cylinders. Each of the lock families has a control pin location which is different from the control pin location of another of the lock families within the lock class. Each of the lock cylinders generally includes a shell, a plug rotatably mounted in the shell, and a control ring rotatably mounted on the plug at the control pin location of the lock family of which the lock cylinder is a member, and a control pin operable to selectively couple the plug with the control ring. Each lock family may be associated with a control key family. Each control key family may include a plurality of control keys, each of which may have a control bitting configured to urge control pins of the associated lock family to a coupling position.

Abstract: A perforating gun for use in oil and gas operations. The gun is carried to a desired area of a wellbore using only fluid pressure. The gun comprises a charge housing disposed within a removable sleeve. The charge housing comprises a plurality of shaped charges in communication with one or more sensors. The sensors are programmed to initiate the detonation sequence of the shaped charges upon measuring set parameters. Upon detonation, the gun fragments into a plurality of pieces that may be washed away from the detonation site.

Abstract: A compute system is provided that includes cables that are terminated to a grid array connector that is mounted on a substrate that has an integrated circuit packaged mounted thereon. The cables include conductors that are electrically connected to the integrated circuit via terminals supposed by the substrate.

Abstract: The systems and methods disclosed herein include a LED driver, including a current output module configured to generate a constant current output split between a plurality of output channels, each output channel connected to one or more LEDs having an associated CCT value, at least one switch encoding a plurality of lumen settings and a plurality of CCT settings, and at least one circuit coupled to the current output module and the switch, the at least one circuit configured to determine a first lumen setting from the plurality of lumen settings encoded by the at least one switch, adjust the constant current output of the current output module based on the first lumen setting, determine a first CCT setting from the plurality of CCT settings encoded by the at least one switch, and adjust the plurality of output channels of the current output module based on the first CCT setting.

Abstract: A secured exploration agent for reinforcement learning (RL) is provided. Securitizing an exploration agent includes training the exploration agent to avoid dead-end states and dead-end trajectories. During training, the exploration agent “learns” to identify and avoid dead-end states of a Markov Decision Process (MDP). The secured exploration agent is utilized to safely and efficiently explore the environment, while significantly reducing the training time, as well as the cost and safety concerns associated with conventional RL. The secured exploration agent is employed to guide the behavior of a corresponding exploitation agent. During training, a policy of the exploration agent is iteratively updated to reflect an estimated probability that a state is a dead-end state. The probability, via the exploration policy, that the exploration agent chooses an action that results in a transition to a dead-end state is reduced to reflect the estimated probability that the state is a dead-end state.

Abstract: Exemplary methods include a processor executing instructions stored in a memory for generating an electronic count-in, binding it to a first performance to generate a master clock and transmitting a first musician's first performance and first timing information to a network caching, storage, timing and mixing module. The first musician's first performance may be recorded locally at full resolution and transmitted to a full resolution media server and the first timing information may be transmitted to the master clock. The first musician's first performance is transmitted to a sound device of a second musician and the second musician creates a second performance, transmits it and second timing information to a network caching, storage, timing and mixing module. The first and second performances are mixed along with the first and the second timing information to generate a first mixed audio, which can be transmitted to a sound device of a third musician.

Abstract: A weapon mountable illumination device configured to mount to existing firearm mounting rails to provide illumination of potential targets while mitigating problems associated with snagging, and shadow casting. It is an aspect of the present invention to provide a rapidly mountable device to provide increased lighting capability while obviating the need to remove back up iron sights.

Abstract: A battery plate having a substrate with opposing surfaces and one or more nonplanar structures and one or more active materials disposed on at least one of the opposing surfaces; wherein the battery plate includes one or more of: i) one or more projections disposed within but do not extend beyond the active material; ii) one or more projections which project beyond the active material and substantially free of the active material or dust formed from the active material; and/or iii) a frame about the periphery of the substrate which projects beyond the active material and is substantially free of the active material or dust formed from the active material; and wherein the battery plate is adapted to form part of one or more electrochemical cells in a battery assembly.

Abstract: A method, system and/or computer usable program product for managing optimization of a transportation network system including identifying a set of items for transportation between a set of origins and a set of destinations during a set of time periods, prioritizing each of the set of items, utilizing a set of network constraints and costs, utilizing a set of loading constraints for a set of transportation units, the loading constraints limiting the quantity and placement of items for each transportation unit, optimizing a quantity of the set of transportation units for transporting the set of items between the set of origins and the set of destinations during the set of time periods based on the prioritization of each of the set of items, the network constraints and costs, and the loading constraints for each transportation unit, and adjusting the optimized quantity of transportation units to a discrete quantity based on the prioritization of each of the set of items and the network constraints and costs.

Abstract: A liquid container configured to stimulate visual interest. In one embodiment, the container is a bottle configured to generate a liquid vortex within the bottle. In another embodiment, the bottle includes one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) configured to illuminate the bottle and/or vortex. The bottle includes an agitator configured to generate the liquid vortex. The agitator generally includes a magnetic stir bar disposed within the bottle. The agitator further includes a stylized blade configured to cover the stir bar. The bottle is further configured to work with a mobile application. The app is configured to connect to the bottle via scanning a barcode and/or quick response (QR) code on the bottle. The app enables a user to modify the size and/or shape of the vortex, the speed of the rotor, and/or the light color and/or brightness of the LEDs.

Abstract: A system is provided that may include a pressure sensor coupled to a radiator. The pressure sensor may determine plural pressure readings of a radiator fluid in the radiator. The system may also include a vehicle controller of a vehicle system that includes one or more processors. The one or more processors may repeatedly determine the plural pressure readings of the radiator fluid, and determine a pressure variance of the plural pressure readings that is repeatedly determined. The one or more processors may further be configured to identify a pressure condition based on the pressure variance that is determined.

Abstract: An acoustic transducer for generating electrical signals in response to acoustic signals, comprises a first diaphragm having a first corrugation formed therein. A second diaphragm has a second corrugation formed therein, and is spaced apart from the first diaphragm such that a cavity having a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure is formed therebetween. A back plate is disposed between the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm. One or more posts extend from at least one of the first diaphragm or the second diaphragm towards the other through the back plate. The one or more posts prevent each of the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm from contacting the back plate due to movement of the first diaphragm and/or the second diaphragm towards the back plate. Each of the first corrugation and the second corrugation protrude outwardly from the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm, respectively, away from the back plate.

Abstract: An axle assembly having a drive pinion, a transmission, and a shift collar. The transmission may include a set of drive pinion gears. The shift collar may be rotatable about an axis with the drive pinion and may be moveable along the axis with respect to the drive pinion to selectively connect a member of the set of drive pinion gears to the drive pinion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system including a computer programmed to actuate a plurality of drones to first establish one or more electrical connections therebetween and then to provide a jump start to a vehicle.

Abstract: Systems, and associated methods, involving both a trusted and an untrusted device where sensitive data or keys are shared between those devices are disclosed. A disclosed method includes storing a key in a secure memory on a first device, receiving sensitive data via a user interface on a second device, generating a set of white box encryption instructions based on the key using a white box encryption generator on the first device, generating a complete data representation of the set of white box encryption instructions using a secure processor on the first device, transmitting the complete data representation from the first device to the second device, and encrypting the sensitive data using the complete data representation on the second device. The complete data representation is not Turing complete and is not executable with respect to the second device.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for predicting hiring priorities. During operation, the system determines hiring features characterizing hiring activity by a company for a set of titles. Next, the system applies a first machine learning model to the hiring features to produce a first set of scores representing future hiring volumes and applies a second machine learning model to the hiring features to produce a second set of scores representing future hiring growth. The system then generates a first ranking of the titles by the first set of scores and a second ranking of the titles by the second set of scores. Finally, the system outputs at least a portion of the first ranking as a prediction of future hiring volumes by the company and at least a portion of the second ranking as a prediction of future hiring growth by the company.