Abstract: A secure beverage container may include a body having a first end, a second end opposing the first end, a first longitudinal side extending between the first end and the second end, and a second longitudinal side opposing the first longitudinal side and extending between the first end and the second end, the first end being closed, the second end being open. The body may define a cavity to receive a beverage fluid. The secure beverage container may include a lid to be received by the second end to seal the cavity in the body, and a powered locking device. The secure beverage container may include an access control device coupled to the powered locking device and configured to cause the powered locking device to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state based upon a security token.

Abstract: A disclosed pulsed-power drilling system may include a controller that receives and analyzes feedback from downhole components reflecting changing conditions or performance measurements associated with a pulsed drilling operation to determine that an operating parameter of the drilling operation should be modified. The controller may output a control signal to cause an adjustment of a configurable downhole component, such as mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic component that affects the operating parameter, while the drill bit remains in the wellbore. The controller may adjust a segmented transformer of a pulse-generating circuit, changing the number of primary winding switches that are fired, or the timing of the firing of the switches, to modify characteristics of the generated pulses. Adjusting a downhole component may affect the drilling rate, the drilling direction, the flow of drilling fluid, a pulse rise time, a pulse repetition rate, or a rate of penetration for the drilling operation.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, a method for generating sentimental information associated with media content is provided, the method comprising: receiving user input data corresponding to a user; identifying a portion of the media content item based on the user input data; determining a sentiment based on the user input data, wherein the sentiment is one of a positive sentiment which indicates that the media content item was liked by the user or a negative sentiment which indicates that the media content item was disliked by the user; determining an amount of the sentiment based on the user input data; associating the amount of the sentiment with the portion of the media content item; and generating, for the media content item, sentimental information that indicates the amount of the sentiment associated with at least one portion of the media content item.

Abstract: Measuring quality-of-experience (QoE) for virtual reality (VR) streaming content is disclosed. A network computing device receives a client-side VR stream capture and a client pose data set that are generated by a client computing device based on a VR content and one or more induced network impairments (e.g., latency, packet loss, and/or jitter, as non-limiting examples). Using the same VR content and the client pose data set, the network computing device generates a source VR stream capture that is not subjected to the one or more induced network impairments. The network computing device performs a frame-by-frame comparison of the client-side VR stream capture and the source VR stream capture. Based on the frame-by-frame comparison, the network computing device generates a QoE metric that indicates a degree of degradation of the client-side VR stream capture relative to the source VR stream capture.

Abstract: The lens arrangement has at least two lenses, wherein a first lens may be used for autofocus and optical image stabilization. The first lens is tilted to compensate for the shaking movement of the hand-held device and to stabilize the image to be captured on the image plane. The tilt action may occur in two degrees of freedom, wherein an actuator causes the first lens to tilt around a pivot. A second lens is a field flattener lens that compensates for the error caused by the difference between the image plane and the focus plane. The field flattener lens causes the focal plane of the first lens to lie in the image plane when the first lens is in a tilted position.

Abstract: A metered smoking apparatus includes a burnable media including indicia that visually represent a plurality of smokable units of a smokable substance or an active ingredient thereof, each of the smokable units corresponding to a same predetermined quantity of the smokable substance or the active ingredient thereof, and when the smokable substance is rolled within the burnable media, the burnable media is configured such that the indicia are sequentially burned in a burn line direction that is a direction in which a burn line burns when the metered smoking apparatus is smoked, to thereby indicate consumption of the predetermined quantity on a unit-by-unit basis.

Abstract: A latch assembly for a compartment of a vehicle interior is provided. The latch assembly comprises a frame, a first pawl member, a second pawl member, a lever member, and a resilient member. The frame has a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The frame is fixed to a cover of the compartment. The first pawl member is slidingly disposed in the first portion of the frame. The second pawl member is slidingly disposed in the second portion of the frame. The lever member has a first and a second pivot pin and a center hub. The center hub is rotatably supported by the third portion of the frame. The first pivot pin is disposed in the first pivot slot of the first pawl member. The second pivot pin is disposed in the second pivot slot of the second pawl member.

Abstract: A two-component solventless adhesive composition is disclosed, the adhesive composition comprising an isocyanate component comprising at least one isocyanate, and a polyol component comprising at least one amine-initiated polyol having a functionality of from 3 to 8 and a hydroxyl number of from 20 to 1,000, wherein the first and second components are formulated to be applied to separate substrates before being brought together. Further, a method for forming a laminate is disclosed, the method comprising uniformly applying the isocyanate component to a first substrate, uniformly applying the polyol component to a second substrate, bringing the first and second substrates together, thereby mixing and reacting the isocyanate component and the polyol component to form an adhesive between the first and second substrates, and curing the adhesive to bond the first and second substrates. Still further, a laminate formed by the method is disclosed.

Abstract: A system includes a campaign management service to detect a campaign initiation request indicating a number of computerized devices to be updated for a campaign and store data corresponding to the computerized devices to be updated. The campaign management service can generate a filter data structure comprising hash values based on the data for each of the computerized devices to be updated and transmit the filter data structure to a network edge. The system can include the network edge that can use the filter data structure from the campaign management service to determine whether a computerized device is to obtain a device update from the campaign management service. The network edge can retrieve the device update and modify the computerized device by transmitting the device update to the computerized device, which then installs it.

Abstract: A shock absorbing apparatus includes a flexible membrane defining an accumulator cavity, and a compression assembly defining a compression cavity. The compression assembly is disposed within the flexible membrane such that viscous fluid contained within the cavities may be exchanged therebetween by a damping orifice, fluid conduit and or valve mechanism. The accumulator cavity deforms in response to the application of a transmitted impact load, and is capable of storing and releasing potential energy in response to the application and cessation of the transmitted impact load.

Abstract: A system and method for performing ophthalmic surgery using an ultra-short pulsed laser is provided. The system includes a laser engine configured to provide an ultra-short pulsed laser beam, optics configured to direct the laser beam to an undocked eye of a patient, an eye tracker configured to measure five degrees of freedom of movement of the undocked eye, an optical coherence tomography module configured to measure depth of the undocked eye, and a controller configured to control laser beam position on the undocked eye toward a desired laser pattern based on depth and the five degrees of freedom of movement of the undocked eye. Adaptive optics are also provided. Also disclosed are a scleral ring including fiducial markings and a compliant contact lens and fluid tillable contact lens configured to facilitate ultra-short pulsed laser surgery while reducing or eliminating eye docking requirements.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for hiding information using deep neural networks. In one example, a computer-implemented method is provided to train neural networks for hiding images, which includes inputting a package image and a cover image into an image hiding neural network and generating a carrier image as an output, the carrier image comprising the package image hidden within the cover image. The method includes inputting the carrier image into an image decoding neural network and generating a reconstruction of the package image as an output. The method includes simultaneously training the image decoding neural network based at least in part on a first loss function that describes a difference between the package image and the reconstruction of the package image and the image hiding neural network based at least in part on the first loss function and on a second loss function that describes a difference between the cover image and the carrier image.

Abstract: An autonomous transport vehicle is provided. The autonomous transport vehicle includes a payload bed and a transfer arm configured to extend along a first axis to transfer a pickface to and from the payload bed, the transfer arm including fingers that are independently movable along a second axis, substantially perpendicular to the first axis for picking and placing the pickface.

Abstract: The invention is directed to methods for identifying targets for antimicrobial and antiproliferative compounds as well as methods for identifying novel compounds for treating cancer and microbial infections.

Abstract: Documents in a local computing system are parsed for indexing and sent to a cloud-based computing system. The cloud-based search service indexes documents that are parsed on the local computing system, as well as documents that reside in the cloud-based computing system. When a user launches a search, the search is executed against a single search index in the cloud-based computing system, which includes an index of content sources from both the local computing system and the cloud-based computing system.

Abstract: Embodiments of a Majorana-based qubit are disclosed herein. The qubit is based on the formation of superconducting islands, some parts of which are topological (T) and some parts of which are non-topological. Also disclosed are example techniques for fabricating such qubits. In one embodiment, a semiconductor nanowire is grown, the semiconductor nanowire having a surface with an oxide layer. A dielectric insulator layer is deposited onto a portion of the oxide layer of the semiconductor nanowire, the portion being designed to operate as a non-topological segment in the quantum device. An etching process is performed on the oxide layer of the semiconductor nanowire that removes the oxide layer at the surface of the semiconductor nanowire but maintains the oxide layer in the portion having the deposited dielectric insulator layer. A superconductive layer is deposited on the surface of the semiconductor nanowire, including over the dielectric insulator layer.

Abstract: A system may include a blockchain network, a trust entity, and multiple user devices. A smart contract of the blockchain network may be configured to receive data from the trust entity and transfer digital stable tokens to a first user's cryptocurrency wallet. The first user may generate a blockchain transaction on the blockchain network in order to transfer some digital stable tokens to a second user. The second user may cash out some of the digital stable tokens via a smart contract of the blockchain network. The smart contract may send an instruction to the trust entity's computing system to transfer fiat currency into a financial account of the second user. A token cross-chain bridge may also facilitate the exchange of cryptocurrency for digital stable tokens.

Abstract: Graphical descriptor data associated with a particular video asset may include data for one or more graphical descriptor images and graphical descriptor metadata related to each graphical descriptor image. The graphical descriptor images can be simultaneously presented on a display screen with the video asset content and used to navigate to different content in that video asset. The graphical descriptors can also be used to navigate to content of one or more different assets.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a controller. The controller is programmed to broadcast state information for the vehicle and receive state information from other vehicles; identify a contested roadway area for the vehicle and another of the vehicles based on expected future paths of the vehicle and the other vehicle calculated per the state information; and update a ledger with an indication of which of the vehicle or the other vehicle is agreed to proceed through the contested roadway area.

Abstract: A rotor for an electric machine has a permanent magnet carrier that defines a plurality of permanent magnet receptacles. A plurality of permanent magnets are received in the receptacles. The magnets are arranged to define at least two magnetic poles of the rotor. A metallic shield surrounds an outward facing surface of the permanent magnets to shield the magnets from high frequency magnetic fields that would cause eddy currents, and thus magnet heating. The metallic shield is constructed from a metallic foil. A carbon fiber retaining sleeve surrounds an outward facing surface of the metallic shield. The carbon fiber sleeve is configured to retain the magnets to the permanent magnet carrier during operation of the electric machine. The permanent magnet carrier is interference fit over a rotor core.