Abstract: A method for removing foreign matter from an agricultural product stream of a manufacturing process. The method includes conveying a product stream past an inspection station; scanning a region of the agricultural product stream as it passes the inspection station using at least one light source of a single or different wavelengths; generating hyperspectral images from the scanned region; determining a spectral fingerprint for the agricultural product stream from the hyperspectral images; comparing the spectral fingerprint obtained in step (c) to a spectral fingerprint database containing a plurality of fingerprints using a computer processor to determine whether foreign matter is present and, if present, generating a signal in response thereto; and removing a portion of the conveyed product stream in response to the signal. A system for detecting foreign matter within an agricultural product stream is also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems, apparatuses, and methods for measuring submerged surfaces. Embodiments include a measurement apparatus including a main frame, a source positioned outside a pipe and connected to the main frame, and a detector positioned outside the pipe at a location diametrically opposite the source and connected to the main frame. The source may transmit a first amount of radiation. The detector may receive a second amount of radiation, determine a composition of the pipe based on the first and second amounts of radiation, and send at least one measurement signal. A control canister positioned on the main frame or on a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) attached to the apparatus may receive the at least one measurement signal from the detector and convey the at least one measurement signal to software located topside.

Abstract: A cooperative conversational voice user interface is provided. The cooperative conversational voice user interface may build upon short-term and long-term shared knowledge to generate one or more explicit and/or implicit hypotheses about an intent of a user utterance. The hypotheses may be ranked based on varying degrees of certainty, and an adaptive response may be generated for the user. Responses may be worded based on the degrees of certainty and to frame an appropriate domain for a subsequent utterance. In one implementation, misrecognitions may be tolerated, and conversational course may be corrected based on subsequent utterances and/or responses.

Abstract: An example valve assembly includes a mounting plate having an inlet port configured to be fluidly coupled to a source of fluid; a pilot supply valve mounted to the mounting plate, wherein the pilot supply valve comprises (i) an inlet port fluidly coupled to the inlet port of the mounting plate, and (ii) a first outlet port configured to be fluidly coupled to a pilot port of a main valve; and a pilot exhaust valve mounted to the mounting plate, wherein the pilot exhaust valve comprises (i) a vent port, (ii) a second outlet port that is fluidly coupled to the first outlet port of the pilot supply valve.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and apparatuses for the provision and management of value added services without a requirement for specific client software on a wireless receive/transmit unit (WRTU). The methods and apparatuses described may be applied to wireless networks supporting HTTP transfers without disrupting the wireless network configuration. In the embodiments described herein, a web request may be received by a Service Management Entity (SME) that may be located in an access point (AP) from a WRTU. The SME may transmit a proxy auto-configuration (PAC) file to the WRTU. This PAC file may include a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with a Service Delivery Entity (SDE), and the URL chosen may be based on rules associated with a location of the WRTU. The SDE may then receive a second web request from the WRTU and respond by transmitting a message to the WRTU such as a transaction trigger.

Abstract: A substrate assembly includes at least one printed circuit (PC) substrate. Each PC substrate includes a PC top surface and a PC bottom surface spaced from each other and an edge that runs at least partially about a periphery of the PC substrate between the PC top surface and the PC bottom surface. The edge includes or defines on a facet or edge surface of the edge at least one projection that extends transverse or normal to the facet or edge surface. The projection includes a projection top surface and a projection bottom surface spaced from each other and the projection can include or be made of conductive material.

Abstract: The described technology is generally directed towards allocating adjacent file parts to different virtual cylinder groups mapped to storage devices in a storage array system. According to an embodiment, a system can comprise a processor and computer executable components that can comprise a file allocating component that can allocate a first part of a file to a first logical data block mapped to a first physical data block on a first storage device, and allocate a second part of the file to a second logical data block mapped to a second physical data block on a second storage device, the allocating being based on the second physical data block being on a different storage device than the first physical data block. The components can also comprise a storage device controller that can write the first and second parts of the file to the first and second physical data blocks.

Abstract: The effectiveness of advertisements with respect to a group of panelists is measured. Based on the results of such analysis, advertisements and/or variants thereof are selected for presentation to consumers. Effectiveness of advertisements is measured, in one embodiment, by detecting exposure to advertisements, and then monitoring panelist behavior following exposure to an advertisement. In one embodiment, the group of panelists is a representative sample of a larger population, so that observations of panelist behavior can be used as a basis for making decisions regarding presentation of advertisements to a larger audience having characteristics similar to those of the panelists. Once the relative effectiveness for various audiences has been determined, advertisements can be selected for presentation to individual consumers or to groups of consumers, so as to maximize effectiveness. In one embodiment, such analysis and selection is performed substantially in real-time.

Abstract: A vehicle retrofit system comprising a storage receptacle, a collapsible privacy/shower curtain receptacle, a folding counter assembly, and a seat/bed conversion assembly each of which is configured to be contained and deployed within an interior of a vehicle.

Abstract: A drilling machine includes a mast, a rotary head movably coupled to the mast, a drill string component having a pair of opposed flat surfaces, and a securing structure including engagement surfaces shaped to engage the opposed flat surfaces and secure the drill string component from rotating. The drilling machine also includes a controller configured to track a rotational location of the flat surfaces of the drill string component during rotation of the drill string component. The controller is further configured to receive tracking information from a sensor associated with the rotary head and control the rotary head to align the opposed flat surfaces for engagement by the securing structure.

Abstract: A set-top box with self-monitoring and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the set-top box, a housing secures a television input, a television output, a processor, memory, and storage therein, which are communicatively interconnected by a busing architecture. The memory is accessible to the processor, and the memory includes processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to detect when the television is not being utilized. Responsive thereto, the instructions cause the processor to scan channels received from the television input and generate a composite TV screen image data that may be resolved to a single TV screen image made from an assemblage of TV screen image captures corresponding to the scanned channels.

Abstract: A fluid heating system including a fluid supply subsystem having a fluid heating device, a fluid output subsystem, and an intermediary fluid device. The fluid heating system also includes a control device for the fluid supply subsystem, a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, and a control circuit coupled to the control device. The control device is configured to control one selected from a group consisting of the fluid heating device and an amount of water input to the intermediary fluid device. The first and second temperature sensors are configured to output first and second temperature signals, respectively. The control circuit is configured to generate a first control signal based on the second temperature signal, determine a multiplier, generate a second control signal based on the first temperature signal, and send a main control signal to the control device based on the first and second control signals.

Abstract: Utility knife with a replaceable blade and a system and method for determining the End of Life of the blade comprising one or more sensors for detecting blade use, a communication unit adapted to establish a wireless connection to a computer cloud network and to send and receive information via wireless transmission to be stored and processed by a control system with a control CPU and a control memory, the information being a series of values recorded by said sensor by time, stored in the control memory as data sets using machine learning or artificial intelligence for determining common or similar values of recorded parameters in the stored data sets or of values calculated from these parameters according to a predefined logic, for use as reference values indicating the End of Life of the blade.

Abstract: Optical adaptive viewport display systems and methods are provided. One such optical adaptive viewport display system has an adaptive pupil device which is optical coupled to an optical combiner. The adaptive pupil device is optically couplable to an image projector and is configured to select a sub-pupil from the pupil of the projector. The selected sub-pupil is optically relayed by relay optics from the adaptive pupil device to an eyebox. The relay optics includes an optical combiner. The sub-pupil size and position is selected by the adaptive pupil device so that an optical image spot beam from the sub-pupil and reflected by the optical combiner on to the eye box has a diameter at the eyebox such that the virtual image, as seen by a human eye disposed at the eyebox, is hyperfocused.

Abstract: A method includes a first computing device generating a signal having an oscillating component and driving the signal on a first touch sense element of the first computing device. The method continues with the first computing device detecting a touch on the first touch sense element based on the signal. While the touch is detected, the method continues by the first computing device modulating the signal with data to produce a modulated data signal. The method continues with a second computing device receiving the modulated data signal via a transmission medium and a second touch sense element of the second computing device, where the transmission medium includes at least one of a human body and a close proximity between the first and second computing devices. The method continues with by the second computing device demodulating the modulated data signal to recover the data.

Abstract: A downhole assembly includes a first tubular including a first shoulder and a second tubular including a second shoulder. The assembly further includes a transmission element having a first portion disposed in the first shoulder, the first portion includes an electrically conductive member having a first arc length and a second portion disposed in the second shoulder. The second portion includes a contacting element having a second arc length that is substantially less than the first arc length and further includes an outer insulating carrier that defines a groove. The contacting element is disposed in the groove. When the first tubular is joined to the second tubular, the contacting element contacts the electrically conductive member and the second portion defines at least one region between the electrically conductive member and the second portion in areas of the groove where the contacting element does not contact the electrically conductive member.