Abstract: The invention relates to a luminaire (1) comprising a housing (2) having at least one side wall part (3) and a bottom wall part (5), a light source (7) being positioned in the housing (2), and a curved, optically transparent sheet (10) having a plurality of elongated linear prism structures with right top angles (16) on its concave surface. Said surface faces away from the light source (7). The invented luminaires (1) show reduced glare. They can be used with great advantage in office lighting and house lighting.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a test signal generator (401) which generates an ultrasonic test signal by modulating an audio band test signal on an ultrasonic signal. The ultrasonic test signal is radiated from a parametric loudspeaker (403) and is demodulated by non-linearities in the air. A reflected audio signal may arise from reflections of an object, such as a wall. An audio band sensor (405) generates an audio band captured signal which comprises the demodulated reflected audio band signal. A distance circuit (407) then generates a distance estimate for the distance from the parametric loudspeaker (403) to the object in response to a comparison of the audio band captured signal and the audio band test signal. Specifically two signals may be correlated to determine a delay corresponding to the full path length. Based on the distance estimates an audio environment may be estimated and a sound system may be adapted accordingly.

Abstract: Provided is an electrostatic discharging apparatus, which comprises a rotation shaft, a transfer roller, and an electrostatic discharging member. The rotation shaft transmits driving force. The transfer roller is disposed on the rotation shaft to transfer a medium. The electrostatic discharging member is disposed on the rotation shaft to rotate together with the rotation shaft, and comprises a plurality of brushes for removing static electricity.

Abstract: A system and method for identifying an abnormality of an anatomical structure. The system and method segments, using a processor, the anatomical structure imaged in a volumetric image of a plurality of control patients to produce a control segmentation of the anatomical structures of each of the control patients, obtains a normative dataset by extracting a statistical representation of a morphology of the control segmentations, segments the anatomical structure of a patient being analyzed for abnormalities to produce a patient segmentation and compares the patient segmentation to the normative dataset obtained from the control segmentations.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including a uniformity correction system is disclosed. The lithographic apparatus comprises an illumination system configured to condition a beam of radiation. The illumination system comprises a uniformity correction system located at a plane configured to receive a substantially constant pupil when illuminated with the beam of radiation. The uniformity correction system includes fingers configured to be movable into and out of intersection with a radiation beam so as to correct an intensity of respective portions of the radiation beam. A linear motor actuator arrangement drives the fingers to their respective appropriate positions to compensate for non-uniform illumination. Control is provided by a control system that precisely manipulates carriers of the fingers.

Abstract: A method for processing solar cells comprising: providing a vertical furnace to receive an array of mutually spaced circular semiconductor wafers for integrated circuit processing; composing a process chamber loading configuration for solar cell substrates, wherein a size of the solar cell substrates that extends along a first surface to be processed is smaller than a corresponding size of the circular semiconductor wafers, such that multiple arrays of mutually spaced solar cell substrates can be accommodated in the process chamber, loading the solar cell substrates into the process chamber; subjecting the solar cell substrates to a process in the process chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image processing apparatus (1) comprising an image providing unit (2) for providing a first image of an object and a second image of the same object and a filtering unit (3) which filters the first image depending on a first degree of similarity between image values of the first image and on a second degree of similarity between image values of the second image. This allows filtering the first image depending on the likeliness that image values belong to the same part of the object, for example, to tissue or to bone material of the object, if the object is a human being or an animal, even if due to noise the image values of one of the first image and the second image are disturbed, thereby improving, for example, an edge preserving property of the filtering procedure.

Abstract: A method for reformatting image data includes obtaining volumetric image data indicative of an anatomical structure of interest, identifying a surface of interest of the anatomical structure of interest in the volumetric image data, identifying a thickness for a sub-volume of interest of the volumetric image data, shaping the sub-volume of interest such that at least one of its sides follows the surface of interest, and generating, via a processor, a maximum intensity projection (MIP) or direct volume rendering (DVR) based on the identified surface of interest and the shaped sub-volume of interest.

Abstract: The invention describes a gas-discharge lamp (1) comprising a vessel (5), which vessel (5) is partially coated with at least one longitudinal stripe (SH, SH?) arranged on the surface of the vessel (5) below a horizontal plane (P) through a longitudinal axis (X) through the centre of the lamp (1) such that, on each side of the lamp, an angle (?H1, ?H2) subtended at the lamp centre by the horizontal plane (P) and an upper edge (16, 17) of the longitudinal stripe (SH, SH?) on that side of the lamp comprises at least 10°, more preferably at least 13°, most preferably at least 15°.

Abstract: A system for handling a specimen image is disclosed. An image input (1) is configured to receive a body image representing at least a portion of a living body and a specimen image representing a dissected portion of the living body. An alignment unit (2) is configured to compute an alignment of the specimen image with the body image, based on image content of the specimen image and/or the body image. A border detector (3) is operatively connected to the alignment unit (2) and configured to detect at least part of an outer border of the dissected portion in the specimen image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cable suitable for supplying power to a drilling rig's top-drive assembly. In a typical embodiment, the power cable includes (i) a plurality of high-conductivity conductors, (ii) an electromagnetic shield, (iii) two protective sheaths, and (iv) a reinforcing layer of braided aramid fibers between the protective sheaths.

Abstract: In order to provide heating means for an ultrasonic application setup, adapted for heating a sample (20) gently and fast and saving costs and space, an ultrasound transducer (10) capable of being driven at multiple frequencies including a main frequency for efficient production of ultrasound waves and at least one alternative frequency, at which almost no ultrasound is generated, a system for sample analysis comprising such an ultrasound transducer (10) and a method for controlling such an ultrasound transducer (10) are proposed, wherein the ultrasound transducer (10) is driven either at the main frequency for generating ultrasonic waves or at the alternative frequency for generating heat in the ultrasound transducer (10), if the sample (20) is to be heated.

Abstract: Driver circuits (1) for driving load circuits (2) comprising first and second light circuits (21-22, 71-72) are in first/second modes for input voltages having first/second voltage amplitudes, the second voltage amplitudes being larger than the first voltage amplitudes. The first light circuits (21, 71) are on in the first and second modes. The second light circuits (22, 72) are off in the first modes and are on in the second modes. A control circuit (21, 71) in dependence of the modes to extend control. These currents may get smaller current amplitudes in higher modes. Light outputs of the first light circuit (21, 71) may get smaller in higher modes. A total light output of all light circuits (21-22, 71-72) may remain substantially constant during all modes.

Abstract: A configuration unit (1) and a method for configuring a sensor (2) comprising a transmitter (4) and a plurality of receivers (6) are provided. The configuration unit is operatively connected to the transmitter and the plurality of receivers, and is adapted to estimate the location of a static element (8) based on a probing signal (5) transmitted by the transmitter and based on a return signal (7) received by the plurality of receivers. The return signal is generated by reflection of the probing signal against the static element. Moreover, the configuration unit is adapted to configure the sensor, for presence detection of a target (9), based on the estimated location of the static element.

Abstract: An electric household appliance has a low-voltage capacitive power means (10) connected to an electrical power network (3) and is designed to generate a low-voltage (S2,V2). The low-voltage capacitive power means (10) comprise a capacitive dividing circuit (28) comprising a first (30) and second input terminal (31) connected to a first and second power line (3) at a first (V1) and second (VREF) predetermined potential respectively; a first output terminal (32) adapted to generate said low-voltage enabling signal (S2); first (37) and second charge-accumulating means (38) connected between said first and second input terminal; and at least one voltage limiter (40) connected parallel to said second charge-accumulating means (38) and designed to switch from a non-conducting to a conducting state when subjected to a voltage above a predetermined breakdown voltage (VZ).

Abstract: A 3D ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system produces 3D cardiac images at a 3D frame rate of display which is equal to the acquisition rate of a 3D image dataset. The volumetric cardiac region being imaged is sparsely sub-sampled by separated scanning beams. Spatial locations between the beams are filled in with interpolated values or interleaved with acquired data values from other 3D scanning intervals depending upon the existence of motion in the image field. A plurality of different beam scanning patterns are used, different ones of which have different spatial locations where beams are located and beams are omitted. A sequence of different beam scanline patterns may be continuously repeated, or the patterns of the sequence synchronized with the cardiac phases such that, over a sequence of N heartbeats, the same respective phase is scanned by N different scanline patterns.

Abstract: A washing and/or drying appliance includes a heating circuit (140) for heating a washing liquid and/or a drying air flow, connected to voltage distribution lines (105a,105b) distributing power inside the appliance. The heating circuit includes at least one heating resistor (205) in series to switch means (210a,210b) controlled by an appliance control unit (125) for selectively energizing the heating resistor when required. The switch means of the heating circuit includes a first and a second switch (210a,210b) in series to the heating resistor, the heating resistor being interposed between the first and second switches. A monitoring circuit arrangement is provided, which includes a first resistor (R1) in shunt to the heating resistor and having a resistance substantially higher than that of the heating resistor, and a pull-up network connected between a first terminal (215b;215a) of the heating resistor and one of the voltage distribution lines.

Abstract: A method and a device for determining the emission of greenhouse gas, in particular methane, by ruminants, in particular dairy animals includes counting eructations (“belches”) of the animal. This is done by measuring a signal linked to the eructations, for example sound with a microphone. Given that the methane content of an eructation of this type is more or less constant, the total methane emission can be derived therefrom by counting.

Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting device is mounted on a support substrate. The support substrate is disposed in an opening in a carrier. In some embodiments, the support substrate is a ceramic tile and the carrier is a low cost material with a lateral extent large enough to support a lens molded over or attached to the carrier.

Abstract: A 3D ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system produces 3D display images at a 3D frame rate of display which is equal to the acquisition rate of a 3D image dataset. The volumetric region being imaged is sparsely sub-sampled by separated scanning beams. Spatial locations between the beams are filled in with interpolated values or interleaved with acquired data values from other 3D scanning intervals depending upon the existence of motion in the image field. A plurality of different beam scanning patterns are used, different ones of which have different spatial locations where beams are located and beams are omitted. In a preferred embodiment the determination of motion and the consequent decision to use interpolated or interleaved data for display is determined on a pixel-by pixel basis.