Abstract: The present invention provides a floor vacuum cleaner, comprising a dust collecting unit supported on rollers and/or skids and including a motor fan unit, wherein the dust collecting unit comprises a housing having provided therein a dust chamber for accommodating a filter bag and a fan chamber for accommodating the motor fan unit, wherein the fan chamber containing the motor fan unit is arranged side by side with the dust chamber, the dust chamber and the fan chamber being separated from one another by a partition, wherein the dust chamber is fluidically connected to the fan chamber via a suction duct, wherein the suction duct is arranged such that, by means of the motor fan unit, air can be sucked upwards from the dust chamber, through the suction duct, into the fan chamber.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner nozzle (N) comprising a rotatable brush (B) having a light distribution mechanism for distributing light from the rotatable brush (B), a transparent screen (S) through which a user can see the rotatable brush (B), and a drive unit for rotating the rotatable brush (B). The light distribution mechanism may have a plurality of lighting positions (L) on the rotatable brush (B). The light distribution mechanism may have a plurality of light sources distributed over a surface of the rotatable brush (B). The light distribution mechanism may have a light guide (LG) inside the rotatable brush (B), from which light escapes at the plurality of lighting positions (L), and may further have a light source (LED) for applying light to the light guide (LG). Alternatively, the light distribution mechanism has a plurality of mirrors at the lighting positions (L).

Abstract: A cooling system for controlling the temperature of a light valve of a projection system, the light valve being illuminated by a light source, the cooling system including a first sensor for measuring a first temperature of a first part of the light valve, at least one active heating and/or cooling device to transfer heat between the light valve and a heat source and/or sink, a controller for controlling the temperature of the light valve with the at least one active heating and/or cooling device according to the first temperature with respect to a reference temperature. The cooling system further includes a sensor for determining the amount of light absorbed by the light valve, and where the controller is further configured to control the active heating and/or cooling device based on the amount of light absorbed by the light valve.

Abstract: The infusion unit comprises a receptacle (25, 27) for receiving at least one ingredient in bulk form for the preparation of a beverage, as well as a brewing piston (33) arranged for insertion in the receptacle and forming a brewing chamber therewith. The brewing piston (33) is provided with a sealing arrangement (35) for sliding and sealing engagement with an inner wall of the receptacle when the brewing piston is in the receptacle. A hydraulic actuator (51) controls the movement of the brewing piston (33) so as to adjust the volume of the brewing chamber by moving the brewing piston in a brewing position inside the receptacle. A hot water delivery circuit (39) is further provided, for delivering hot water in the interior of the brewing chamber and performing a brewing cycle.

Abstract: An alignment system obtains the characteristics of the light coming back from a wafer stack. A beam analyzer measures changes in wavelength, polarization, and beam profile. This measured information allows for in-line process variation corrections. The correction provides optical monitoring of individual mark stack variations, and in turn provides information to reduce individual mark process variation-induced accuracy error.

Abstract: A method comprises determining, based at least in part on input detected by a mobile device, an offer to print a three-dimensional object, wherein the input detected by the mobile device suggests information about a user of the mobile device, and wherein the offer is chosen to be of interest to the user based on the information about the user. The method further comprises outputting the offer to print the three-dimensional object, detecting that offer conditions have been satisfied, and responsive to detecting that offer conditions have been satisfied, enabling printing of the three-dimensional object at a three-dimensional printer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to computer tomography X-ray imaging. In order to provide further improved data for the reconstruction, a system (10) for computer tomography X-ray imaging is provided. The system comprises a data interface (12) and a processing unit (14). The data interface is configured to provide at least first and second CT X-ray radiation projection data for at least a first and second X-ray energy range, which ranges are different from each other. The processing unit is configured to determine a correction for slice normalization, and to apply an equal slice normalization for the first and the second CT X-ray projection data and thereby generating prepared first and second CT X-ray projection data. For the correction, the equal slice normalization is based on measured data of outer detector elements. Further, the data interface is configured to provide the prepared first and second CT X-ray projection data for further processing.

Abstract: A sample chamber assembly for molten metal comprises a cover plate and a housing. A first face of the housing has a depression in direct flow communication with a first opening formed at the immersion end of the housing. The cover plate and the housing are assembled together along a first plane to form a sample cavity including the depression. An analysis surface of a solidified metal sample lies in the first plane. The sample cavity and the first opening are aligned along a common longitudinal axis. The first opening is spaced apart from the first plane. A ratio of the thermal diffusivities of the solidified metal sample and the housing material is between 0.1 and 0.5. The housing is inseparable from the solidified metal sample. A portion of the housing is directly adjacent to the solidified metal sample and lies in the first plane.

Abstract: A method may include receiving a semantic query, wherein the semantic query is formatted using a first ontology; retrieving a transitive mapping between the first ontology and a second ontology; translating a first element of the semantic query from the format of the first ontology to a second element of the second ontology in accordance with the transitive map; parsing a relational database to Resource Description Format (R2RML) mapping to determine a set of database tables that include the second element; directing an execution of the semantic query to the set of database tables in accordance with the R2RML mapping; and storing the results of the executed query in a tripe format, the stored results formatted using the first ontology.

Abstract: The application relates to a method for detecting a target in a sample suspected of containing the target. The method comprises contacting the sample and a first binding molecule attached to a magnetic particle with a second binding molecule attached to a solid support. The first binding molecule is capable of binding to the second binding molecule, and the target is capable of interfering with this binding. Magnetic force is applied to bring the magnetic particle into close proximity with the solid support. The number of magnetic particles bound to the solid support is detected.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus and method for imaging a subject in clinical examination. An apparatus for imaging a subject, comprising: a plurality of light sources (20) for illuminating a region of interest within the subject, at least a portion of the light sources (20) being divided into groups and being actuated group by group, each actuated group of the light sources (20) providing an illumination flash with a predetermined duration, and different groups of the light sources (20) illuminating the region of interest at different angles; and a light detector (40) for receiving light reflected by the subject to form a frame of image for the region of interest per imaging period of the light detector (40), and the predetermined duration of the illumination flash being shorter than the imaging period, enough to enable different groups of the light sources to illuminate the region of interest per imaging period at different times within the imaging period.

Abstract: A system for enhancing secretion removal from an airway of a subject by applying a negative pressure to the airway of the subject just prior to an exsufflation is provided. The negative pressure is applied just after the subject has inhaled under his own power and/or just after generator mechanical insufflation by the system. The negative pressure applied just after inhalation/insufflation and just prior to exsufflation temporarily reduces the cross-sectional area of the airway of the subject. A reduced cross-sectional area User of the airway increases the velocity of air through the airway during a subsequent exsufflation, which results in enhanced secretion clearance. In some embodiments, the system includes one or more of a pressure generator, a subject interface, one or more sensors, a user control interface, one or more processors, and/or other components.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a projection values determination device (14) being adapted to determine a projection value for an x-ray of a cone beam (4) based on detection values generated by detection elements of a three-dimensional arrangement of detection elements, which have been traversed by the x-ray, and not based on a detection value generated by a detection element which has not been traversed by the x-ray. Hence, the projection values determination device does not determine a projection value for a respective x-ray based on a detection value generated by a detection element not traversed by the respective x-ray. In particular, also in the cone direction only detection values are considered for generating a projection value, which have been generated by detection elements which have really been traversed by the respective x-ray. This can lead to reduced cross talk and computed tomography images having an improved image quality.

Abstract: The invention relates to a source-detector arrangement (11) of an X-ray apparatus (10) for grating based phase contrast computed tomography. The source-detector arrangement comprises an X-ray source (12) adapted for rotational movement around a rotation axis (R) relative to an object (140) and adapted for emittance of an X-ray beam of coherent or quasi-coherent radiation in a line pattern (21); and an X-ray detection system (16) including a first grating element (24) and a second grating element (26) and a detector element (6); wherein the line pattern of the radiation and a grating direction of the grating elements are arranged orthogonal to the rotation axis; and wherein the first grating element has a first grating pitch varied dependent on a cone angle (?) of the X-ray beam and/or the second grating element has a second grating pitch varied dependent on the cone angle of the X-ray beam.

Abstract: An interposer with a spring on a surface of the interposer is disclosed. The spring may apply a force to a surface of a component adjacent to the interposer. The interposer may be secured to the surface by a fastener. The fastener may be offset from the center of the interposer. The fastener may be a fulcrum of a lever including the interposer and the spring. The spring may cause a portion of the interposer on the other side of the fastener from the spring to apply an increased amount of pressure to the surface to which the interposer is secured. A transesophageal exam ultrasound probe including an interposer is disclosed.

Abstract: An imaging system includes radiation source (106) that emits radiation that traverses an examination region and a portion of a subject therein and a detector array (114) that detects radiation that traverses the examination region and the portion of the subject therein and generates a signal indicative thereof. A volume scan parameter recommender (120) recommends at least one spectral scan parameter value for a volume scan of the portion of the subject based on a spectral decomposition of first and second 2D projections acquired by the radiation source and detector array. The first and second 2D projections have different spectral characteristics. A console (122) employs the recommended at least one spectral scan parameter value to perform the volume scan of the portion of the subject.

Abstract: The methods and systems described herein attempt to resolve the deficiencies of the conventional systems by using pre-loaded templates and extracting comprehensively populated payment files in an industry standard format for processing. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for generating a payment file comprises receiving, by a computer, a request for a payment to a beneficiary; receiving, by a computer, a selection of the beneficiary for payment; receiving, by a computer, a request to pay the beneficiary using a template; retrieving, by a computer, the template from a database, wherein the template has a plurality of business rules for completing a plurality of data fields; extracting, by a computer, information from a database to complete the data fields of the template; and generating, by a computer, a payment file by completing the data fields of the template according to the plurality of business rules.

Abstract: A tube for a steerable introduction element like a catheter, an endoscope or a sheath includes composite material of a shape memory alloy material and a non-shape-memory polymer material. The tube is used for making the introduction element steerable in a relatively easy way by modifying the temperature of the tube as required for achieving a preferred bending of the introduction element.