Abstract: Female quick couplings are disclosed that have a housing defining an axial bore having a first shoulder and a first slot transverse to the axial bore, a removable insert defining a restriction orifice seated against the first shoulder within the axial bore, and a locking member slidingly received in the first receptacle. The removable insert defines a restriction orifice having an upstream conical frustum and a downstream conical frustum mated at their respective smaller diameter. The upstream conical frustum has a largest diameter substantially similar to an internal diameter of the first sealing member and the downstream conical frustum has a largest diameter substantially similar to an internal diameter of the axial bore extending downstream of the first shoulder. The largest dimeter of the upstream conical frustum is larger than the largest diameter of the downstream conical frustum. Engine systems incorporating the female quick coupling are also disclosed.

Abstract: A clamp circuit including a power dissipation circuit having at least one transistor and a resistor which dissipates power from the surge across the resistor and the transistor by turning on the at least one transistor and forming a voltage divider between a source impedance and the resistor thereof disposed in series with a channel of the transistor; and the resistor holding a portion of transient pulse seen by the load to a low voltage and adding of the low voltage to a threshold voltage of the transistor; and a sub-circuit which tests a functionality of the power dissipation circuit.

Abstract: A potentiostat circuit for controlling a work electrode voltage and for measuring a work electrode current is disclosed. The disclosed potentiostat circuit implementations have a topology and include elements to provide a plurality of benefits. The plurality of benefits includes an enlarged range of controllable work electrode voltages and bidirectional work electrode current measurements, high immunity from temperatures variations and process mismatch. The disclosed potentiostat circuit implementations can be used in applications requiring accuracy, low power consumption, and small size. The applications can include portable and/or multichannel electrochemical applications.

Abstract: An applicator device allows for independent application of topical substances onto patients' skin, allowing self-application to difficult-to-reach areas. The applicator device includes a handle, an articulating segment, and an applicator head. The handle extends to a rotating joint between the handle and the articulating segment. A user activates the handle that operates to deliver the topical substance from an incorporation portion of the articulating segment to the applicator head and to the patient. The device meters the dispensed doses. The device can use disposable foam applicator pads and comes in a sleek, modern, ergonomic design. The device articulates and folds and rotates to provide easy access to previously hard-to-reach patient areas. The device can be easily stored, cleaned, and disinfected. The device prevents wasting of substances and solves the problem of overuse of topical medications, which can lead to adverse side effects.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling autonomous vehicles are provided. In one example embodiment, a computing system can obtain data indicative of a service assignment associated with an autonomous vehicle. The service assignment is indicative of a destination location to which to transport a user. The computing system can obtain data indicative of an item associated with the user that is to be transported to the destination location. The computing system can determine a first drop-off location for the user and a second drop-off location for the item based at least in part on the destination location. The first drop-off location for the user is different than the second drop-off location for the item. The computing system can cause the autonomous vehicle to initiate motion control to travel to the first drop-off location for the user and to travel to the second drop-off location for the item.

Abstract: The disclosed porous membranes and freestanding composites containing the porous membranes have a solution-cast three-dimensional polymer matrix defining interconnecting pores that provide overall first major surface-to-second major surface fluid permeability. The porous membranes and freestanding composites can be used to separate lead-acid battery electrodes. The porous membranes and freestanding composites can have high porosity and low electrical resistance while having both excellent flexibility and mechanical strength. This can reduce the probability of damage to the separators during battery assembly and also allow production of battery separators with a high overall height, but a minimal backweb thickness.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for control of data and content protection mechanisms across a network using a download delivery paradigm. In one embodiment, conditional access (CA), digital rights management (DRM), and trusted domain (TD) security policies are delivered, configured and enforced with respect to consumer premises equipment (CPE) within a cable television network. A trusted domain is established within the user's premises within which content access, distribution, and reproduction can be controlled remotely by the network operator. The content may be distributed to secure or non-secure “output” domains consistent with the security policies enforced by secure CA, DRM, and TD clients running within the trusted domain. Legacy and retail CPE models are also supported.

Abstract: A wireless network environment includes a wireless station, a wireless access point, and communication management resource. The communication management resource establishes first wireless connectivity between the first wireless station and the second wireless station. The second wireless station is in communication with the wireless access point, which provides second wireless connectivity to multiple communication devices in a wireless network environment. The communication management resource measures link quality provided by the first wireless connectivity. Depending on the measured link quality provided by the first wireless connectivity, the communication management resource controls conveyance of communications over the second wireless connectivity.

Abstract: An animatronic device includes a mechanical eyeball configured to rotate about a first rotational axis and a second rotational axis that intersect at a fixed center point. A controller is configured to generate eye movement instructions that cause the animatronic device to rotate the mechanical eyeball about at least one of the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis. The eye movement instructions are generated based on an eye tracking system used to track movement of an eye of a user. The controller maps the tracked eye movement to movement of the mechanical eyeball and generates eye movement instructions based on the mapping.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques and systems for location-based resource scheduling, to reduce or eliminate receiving transmissions, by the base station, over one or more communication resources allocated for another communication. In some aspects, a user device (102) establishes a wireless connection (106) with a base station (104). The user device (102) receives, from the base station (104), a propagation delay message (304). The propagation delay message (304) schedules a delay for a transmission of the user device (102). The delay is based on a location of the user device (1020) being outside of a standard distance (614) from the base station (104). The user device (102) then transmits, to the base station (104), the transmission according to the propagation delay message (304).

Abstract: Provided, in an aspect, is a method for performing a peer-to-peer transaction with a graphical construct on a first mobile device including a processor. The method includes receiving, by the processor, a user input for performing the peer-to-peer transaction; capturing, by the processor, one or more user intents of the received user input; determining, by the processor, an expressive element in accordance with the captured one or more user intents; generating, by the processor, the graphical construct from a customization of the expressive element; and performing, by the processor, the peer-to-peer transaction with a second mobile device in communication with the first mobile device by presenting the generated graphical construct. In some embodiments, capturing one or more user intents of the received user input is based on natural language processing (NLP).

Abstract: A system for identifying ponding water located on a field from image data is described. In an approach, an image of an agricultural field is analyzed using a classifier that has been trained based on the spectral bands of labeled image pixels to identify a probability for each pixel within the image that the pixel corresponds to water. A flow simulation is performed to determine regions of the field that are likely to pool water after rainfall based on precipitation data, elevation data, and soil property data of the field. A graph of vertices representing the pixels and edges representing connections between neighboring pixels is generated. The probability of each pixel within the graph being ponding water is set based on the probability pixel being water, the likelihood that water will pool in the area represented by the pixel, the probability of neighboring pixels being ponding water, and a cropland mask that identifies which pixels correspond to cropland.

Abstract: Radomes for a base station antenna include a first dielectric layer having a first dielectric constant and a first thickness, a second dielectric layer having a second dielectric constant and a second thickness, the second dielectric layer being positioned on an outer side of the first dielectric layer; and a third dielectric layer having a third dielectric constant and a third thickness, the third dielectric layer being positioned on an outer side of the second dielectric layer. Each of the first and third dielectric constants is greater than the second dielectric constant.

Abstract: A load control device is configured to generate a control signal having a desired magnitude for controlling a load regulation device adapted to control the power delivered to an electrical load. The load control device may comprise a control terminal arranged to provide the control signal to the load regulation device, a communication circuit for generating the control signal, and a control circuit configured to generate an output signal that is provided to the communication circuit. The communication circuit may be characterized by non-linear operation. The control circuit may adjust the magnitude of the output signal in response to the difference between the magnitude of the control signal and the desired magnitude to adjust the magnitude of the control signal towards the desired magnitude. The control circuit may also be configured to determine if an incompatible load regulation device is coupled to the load control device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining critical timing paths in a superconducting circuit design including Josephson junctions are provided. An example method includes providing timing information concerning a plurality of source terminals of at least one logic gate coupled with a first sink terminal of the at least one logic gate. The method further includes using a processor, determining whether, in view of the timing information, the first sink terminal is reachable by a single flux quantum (SFQ) pulse within a predetermined range of arrival time based on an assigned first phase to the at least one logic gate.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises at least one processing device configured to identify a protection operation to be performed for a virtual storage volume, the virtual storage volume comprising two or more storage volumes on two or more storage systems, a first one of the storage volumes on a first one of the storage systems comprising data that is mirrored on a second one of the storage volumes on a second one of the storage systems different than the first storage system. The processing device is also configured to monitor parameters characterizing operation of the storage systems, to generate a recommendation of a given one of the first and second storage volumes to back up to a third storage volume based on the monitored parameters characterizing operation of the storage systems, and to perform the protection operation for the virtual storage volume based on the generated recommendation.

Abstract: A implantable bone distraction device for distracting osteotomically separated bone sections includes a first block, a second block, and an actuator including elements for adjusting the space between the two blocks, a vibration sensor arranged in an area located between the first block and the second block and oriented in order to measure a vibration response of a medium of the implantable bone distraction device. A medical monitoring device includes a receiver for receiving data from an implantable bone distraction device, corresponding to a mechanical vibration response of a medium; a calculator for computing from the received data a distraction indicator by: (i) determining a vibration pattern of the medium from the measured vibration response; (ii) analyzing the evolution of a value of the vibration pattern from the measured vibration response during a first period; and (iii) generating a distraction indicator when the value exceeds a predefined threshold.

Abstract: A projectile launching device includes self-timing without cam lean. The projectile launching device preferably includes a rail, a riser, two energy storing components, (such as two limbs), two cams, a launch string, and at least two cables. The ends of the launch string are attached to the two cams. Opposing ends of first and second cables are coupled to the first and second cams. A mid-segment of the first and second cables are slidably engaged with the first and second cable pulleys, respectively. The two cams are preferably built as mirror images of each other at a centerline of the rail. The two cams include a launch string track, having identical, but mirrored, upper and lower cable tracks.

Abstract: A control drum system for a nuclear reactor including a reactor core, including an ex-core reflector including a plurality of cylindrical apertures, a plurality of control drum assemblies, each control drum assembly including a drive shaft, a drum cylinder affixed to a bottom end of the drive shaft, and a planetary gear attached to a top end of the drive shaft, wherein each drum cylinder is rotatably received in a cylindrical aperture, a first control drum drive motor operably connected to a first control drum assembly, and an annular ring gear that is operably connected to the planetary gear of each of the control drum assemblies so that all the control drum assemblies rotate simultaneously.