Abstract: The present disclosure describes speech or sound-emulating bottle cap apparatuses and systems and methods for manufacture thereof. It will be understood that a bottle cap prohibits gases from escaping a pressurized bottle. Ordinarily, when the cap is removed from the bottle, the escaping gas will emit a sound, but the sound carries no discernable meaning, cognizable message or recognizable sound (aside from gas simply escaping a pressurized container). Embodiments described herein harness gas escaping from a bottle (when the cap is removed) to generate a discernable meaning, cognizable message or otherwise recognizable sound. The sound-chamber may be wrapped or twisted into a coil or helix shape (in addition or as an alternative to miniaturizing it). A coil or helix shape permits recovery of the original sound quality of the initially modeled sound-chamber, resulting in “a sound-emitting cap-chamber” removably or permanently coupled to a bottle cap or bottle as described herein.

Abstract: An ultrasound system with a deep learning neural network feature is used to eliminate haze artifacts in B mode images of the carotid artery by analysis of orthogonal information. In a described implementation the orthogonal information comprises the structural information of a B mode image and motion information of the same field of view as that of the B mode image. In another embodiment the neural network reduces haze artifacts by reducing TGC gain at the depth of artifacts.

Abstract: An ultrasound system includes an image extraction processor which is responsive to the touching of at least a portion of desired anatomy in an ultrasound image on a touchscreen display to extract an image of the desired anatomy from a 3D volumetric data set which includes the desired anatomy. The system and method can also be used to extract standard view images from volumetric image data of anatomy.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are provided for an aesthetic air filter to remove airborne particulate matter from an airstream. The aesthetic air filter comprises a supportive frame and a colored filter medium retained within the supportive frame. The supportive frame orients the aesthetic air filter within a ventilation system. The filter medium removes the particulate matter from air flowing through the ventilation system. The filter medium is treated with a suitable dye, or other substance, that gives the filter medium an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The filter medium may include a color that matches other nearby engine components, such as braided sheaths on hoses and wires, as well as decorative metallic couplings, and the like. The filter medium may be endowed with any of various desirable colors. The supportive frame may include a color that is coordinated with the color of the filter medium.

Abstract: An imaging system (100) includes a rotating gantry (212) with a bore (150), and an X-ray radiation source (100) supported by the rotating gantry, which rotates around the bore and emit X-ray radiation that traverses at least a portion of the bore. A detector array (120) supported by the rotating gantry, located opposite the X-ray radiation source, detects the X-ray radiation having traversed an object (110) located within the bore and generate projection data indicative of the detected X-ray radiation, wherein the projection data comprises a sinogram (216, 316, 412). A processor estimates a portion of the object truncated (402) in the sinogram by fitting a curve (400) to data (320, 322) sampled from a plurality of views (324) of the object in the sinogram adjacent to a set of truncated views (314) of the object in the sinogram, and reconstructs an image (252) of the object based on the estimated portion of the object truncated and the generated projection data.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium enable configuring data replication in a three-site disaster recovery solution by replicating data from more than one primary volume of storage devices at a primary datacenter using a first copy technology to a secondary data center and using a tertiary copy technology to a tertiary data center. A graphical user interface presents the sessions of replicating the data using the second copy technology including: (i) one or more characteristics of the sessions; (ii) identified volumes that are in each session; and (iii) any additions or removals of volumes per session.

Abstract: A method for enhancing a region of interest in video frames of a video stream is described.

Abstract: Various examples are directed to payment cards with budget displays including systems and methods for using the same. A payment card may comprise a display and a control circuit. The control circuit may display, at the display of the payment card, a first display state indicating a first unused portion of a budget amount for a current budget period. The control circuit may access first budget status data generated in response to a transaction made with the payment card and modify the display to display a second display state indicating a second unused portion of the budget amount for the current budget period, wherein the second unused portion is based at least in part on the transaction.

Abstract: A robotic punch system employs a robot unit and a control unit. The robot unit includes a robot and an endoscopic punch mounted to the robot. The endoscopic punch includes a calibrated spatial alignment of an endoscope and a punch. The control unit commands the robot for deploying the endoscopic punch in executing a puncture of an anatomical tissue.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing respiratory therapy overcome various effects of transport delay within tubing of a respiratory therapy device by virtue of estimating and compensating for, e.g., a pressure drop in such tubing.

Abstract: A method and device are provided for determining an optimized scale factor to be applied to an excitation signal or a filter during a process for frequency band extension of an audio frequency signal. The band extension process includes decoding or extracting, in a first frequency band, an excitation signal and parameters of the first frequency band including coefficients of a linear prediction filter, generating an excitation signal extending over at least one second frequency band, filtering using a linear prediction filter for the second frequency band. The determination method includes determining an additional linear prediction filter, of a lower order than that of the linear prediction filter of the first frequency band, the coefficients of the additional filter being obtained from the parameters decoded or extracted from the first frequency and calculating the optimized scale factor as a function of at least the coefficients of the additional filter.

Abstract: An object (10) is placed in an examination volume of a MR device (1). To enable fast MR imaging, a stack-of-stars acquisition scheme is employed with a reduced level of streaking artifacts. The acquisition scheme includes subjecting the object (10) to an imaging sequence of at least one RF pulse and switched magnetic field gradients and acquiring MR signals according to the stack-of-stars scheme. The MR signals are acquired as radial k-space profiles (S1-S12) from a number of parallel slices (21-27) arranged at different positions along a slice direction. The radial density of the k-space profiles (S1-S12) varies as a function of the slice position with the radial density being higher at more central k-space positions and lower at more peripheral k-space positions. The k-space profiles are acquired at a higher temporal density from slices at the more central positions than from slices at the more peripheral k-space positions. An MR image is reconstructed from the MR signals.

Abstract: An instrument driving mechanism includes an instrument drive assembly (140) including a first set of wheels (136) coupled to a first end portion and a second set (138) of wheels coupled to a second end portion opposite the first end portion. The first set of wheels is configured to engage an elongated instrument (104) therein such that a rotation plane of the first set of wheels is coplanar with a longitudinal axis of the instrument. The second set of wheels is configured to engage the elongated instrument therein such that a rotation plane of the second set of wheels is obliquely oriented with the longitudinal axis of the instrument wherein motion of the instrument is controlled by controlling rotations of the wheels. The instrument drive assembly mounts to a mounting position (149) of a medical device that permits the instrument to pass therethrough and is configured to fix a position of the instrument drive assembly to enable positioning of the instrument.

Abstract: The invention relates to detection the presence of a target molecule in a sample, wherein the sample is contacted with a substrate, the substrate subsequently being washed in a wash step. In particular, the invention relates to a method of detecting the presence of a target molecule in a sample, the method comprising: (a) contacting the sample (37) with a substrate having immobilized thereon probe molecules that specifically binds to the target molecule; (b) washing the substrate (38) in a wash step by a wash fluid in order to remove or dilute unbound target molecules; (c) detect the presence of resultant binding complexes (39) on the substrate to determine whether the target molecule is present in the sample—The wash fluid being substantially refractive index matched to the substrate.

Abstract: A fall risk of a user is determined by collecting measurements of the motion of the user. A value for a parameter related to the gait of the user is estimated from the measurements. The fall risk for the user is determined from a comparison of the estimated value with a normal value for the parameter determined from motion of the user in which the user is at their normal risk of falling.

Abstract: A method is provided for extending the frequency band of an audio signal during a decoding or improvement process. The method includes obtaining the decoded signal in a first frequency band, referred to as a low band. Tonal components and a surround signal are extracted from the signal from the low-band signal, and the tonal components and the surround signal are combined by adaptive mixing using energy-level control factors to obtain an audio signal, referred to as a combined signal. The low-band decoded signal before the extraction step or the combined signal after the combination step are extended over at least one second frequency band which is higher than the first frequency band. Also proved are a frequency-band extension device which implements the described method and a decoder including a device of this type.

Abstract: A computer system is described that is configured to enable customers of an organization to self-monitor account activity and modify account access settings via a contact center of the organization. The contact center control system is configured to provide an interactive call history associated with the customer's accounts with the organization. Using the call history, the customer may perform self-monitoring of calls into the contact center that access the customer's accounts, and notify the organization if any of the calls appear suspicious. The contact center control system is configured provide a user interface through which the customer may modify account access settings including changing which types of authentication methods are enabled to access the customer's accounts, and blocking account access by callers from certain phone numbers. The contact center control system may allow the customer to turn off all access to the customer's accounts via the contact center.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for providing anonymized, filtered data from a financial institution having cardholders to a business client. The method may include the steps of storing data in at least one database. The data may include credit card transaction data and debit card transaction data maintained by the financial institution, cardholder demographic data maintained by the financial institution, and other data maintained by the business client. The method may also implement a heuristic process to clean the data. Further, the method may comprise providing an interface for the business client to allow the business client to filter and display the data. The interface can anonymize the data to safeguard the privacy of the cardholders, receive input from the business client as to desired filtering criteria, wherein the filtering criteria include time period, geographic region, type of merchant, and cardholder demographic data, and present the anonymized, filtered data to the business client.