Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for a multi-purpose thermal component are provided. The system can include a thermal component to interface with a battery and an electrical component, and a controller in electrical communication with the thermal component. The controller can cause the thermal component to charge the electrical component. The controller can cause the thermal component to transfer thermal energy with the battery.

Abstract: A lavalier microphone has improved dynamic range. The lavalier microphone incorporates a pair of microphone transducer elements into the same housing or attached housings, with one of the microphone transducer elements being more sensitive to acoustic input than the other. The voltage signals from the respective transducer elements are processed and combined, resulting in a digital output audio signal with improved signal to noise both at lower and higher input acoustic levels.

Abstract: Snares for retrieval of medical devices from the body of an animal, medical assemblies, kits, and methods of retrieving a medical device from the body of an animal are described. An example snare comprises an outer sheath defining an outer sheath lumen; an elongate member disposed in the outer sheath lumen and having a longitudinal axis and at least one elongate member lumen; a capture member disposed and axially movable within the at least one elongate member lumen, the capture member defining a capture loop having a throat region and a portion extending along a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate member; and a threader member disposed and axially movable within the at least one elongate member lumen, the threader member defining a threader loop. A handle includes a rotatable control member for deflecting a distal end of the outer sheath.

Abstract: A lever-based clamping device.

Abstract: An energy storage device for a bicycle includes a housing, a plurality of battery cells, a battery management system, and a charge controller disposed in the housing, a battery contact connection and a charge port, separate and spaced apart from the battery contact connection. The charge port may include a DC charge port and a USB C charge port. A bicycle including an energy storage device, and a method of charging an energy storage device are also provided.

Abstract: In some aspects, a computing system may aggregating multiple counterfactual samples so that machine learning explanations can be generated for sub-populations. In addition, methods and systems described herein use machine learning and counterfactual samples to determine text to use in an explanation for a model's prediction. A computing system may also train machine learning models to not only determine whether a request to perform an action should be accepted, but also to generate output that is consistent with output generated by previous machine learning models. Further, a computing system may generate counterfactual samples based on user preferences. A computing system may obtain preferences and then apply a penalty or adjustment parameter such that when a counterfactual sample is created, the computing system is forced to change one or more features indicated by the preferences to create the counterfactual sample.

Abstract: A system for determining properties of fuel supplied to an internal combustion (IC) engine and for adjusting operations of the IC engine based on the determined properties. The system includes an air-flow throttle configured to control the air supplied to the IC engine; a fuel-flow throttle configured to control the fuel supplied to the IC engine; and an engine control module (ECM) configured to receive readings from and control operation of the throttles. The ECM is configured to perform a fuel-air determination program where the ECM determines a percent-error air-to-fuel ratio (AF) based on a true AF ratio compared to an ideal AF ratio. The ECM is configured to perform a fuel property determination and adjustment program in which the ECM is configured to adjust operations of the IC engine based on a fuel property value determined using the percent-error AF ratio.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide swallowable devices, preparations and methods for delivering drugs and other therapeutic agents within the GI tract. Many embodiments provide a swallowable device for delivering the agents. Particular embodiments provide a swallowable device such as a capsule for delivering drugs into the intestinal wall or other GI lumen. Embodiments also provide various drug preparations that are configured to be contained within the capsule, advanced from the capsule into the intestinal wall and degrade to release the drug into the bloodstream to produce a therapeutic effect. The preparation can be operably coupled to delivery means having a first configuration where the preparation is contained in the capsule and a second configuration where the preparation is advanced out of the capsule into the intestinal wall. Embodiments of the invention are particularly useful for the delivery of drugs which are poorly absorbed, tolerated and/or degraded within the GI tract.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for developing electrical grid mapping. One of the methods includes obtaining a computer model of an electric power grid; generating a network graph representation of the computer model, wherein nodes of the network graph represent grid assets of the computer model and edges of the network graph represent wires connecting the grid assets; generating an initial prediction of links between nodes in the network graph by adding at least one edge to the network graph to obtain an over-connected graph; applying the over-connected network graph as input to a machine learning model to obtain an annotated network graph, the machine learning model configured to identify edges as positive links and negative links, and apply annotations to the edges indicating whether each edge is a positive or negative link; and updating the model based on the annotated network graph.

Abstract: A node of a database system is operable to receive a plurality of data blocks from a set of source nodes via a set of relay nodes. At least one feedback data block to be sent to at least one of the set of source nodes is generated. Feedback relay node selection data selecting at least one of a plurality of nodes in the database system for facilitating routing of the at least one feedback data block from the node to the at least one of the set of source nodes via a prioritized feedback communication mechanism is generated. The at least one feedback data block is sent to the at least one of the plurality of nodes selected in the feedback relay node selection data. The at least one feedback data block is routed from the node to the at least one of the set of source nodes via the prioritized feedback communication mechanism.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method includes defining an address book for a distributed database. The address book includes an identifier for each compute device from a set of compute devices that implements the distributed database via a network. The method further includes receiving, from a compute device from the set of compute devices, an event including a transaction to update the address book and calculating, based on a consensus protocol of the distributed database that uses the address book, a received round for the event. The method further includes updating the address book based on the transaction to define an updated address book a predetermined number of rounds after at least one of the received round for the event or a previous update to the address book.

Abstract: A system and method for collecting information about a mobile device and associating it with a user. At least a portion of data about a user may be encoded into one or more images, along with optional commands or parameters for activating an app or other software or hardware modules of the mobile device. The image may be scanned by the mobile device, causing the mobile device to decode the data from the image, and to optionally automatically send the data back to the system thus confirming that association between the mobile device and the user.

Abstract: A truck bed liner is integrally molded of a thermoplastic material. Arrays of spaced-apart, endless cushioning elements downwardly depend from the bottom surface of the liner body. Notches are made in the bottom margins of the cushioning elements to permit fluid ingress to and egress from the cushioning element interiors. In one embodiment, the depth of the elements is uniform, and the top surface of the bed liner emulates the rib pattern of the truck bed. In another embodiment, the depth of the elements varies, such that a rib pattern on the top surface of the liner body can be different from the truck bed rib pattern.

Abstract: Compositions which are fragrant and contain at least a member set culled from a library of compositions, each being comprised of sub-combinations of selected terpenes. Fragrances that mimic that of various states of organic and synthetic aromatics including products, processes and those from non-combusted plant products, among other things, uniquitous products, processes, medicinals, and related moieties leverage databases of all known terpene groupings are offered for consideration, and have been provided, according to the instant teachings.

Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to using natural language processing (NLP) to determine a recipe for a chemical synthesis described in a text to create a life cycle inventory (LCI). One example provides a method comprising receiving an input of a text from a publication comprising a description of a chemical product, and analyzing the text using NLP to determine a recipe for the chemical synthesis, the recipe comprising and action and action metadata, the action metadata comprising a reactant. The method further discloses obtaining LCI information for the reactant, determining an energy utilized for the action, and creating an estimate of an environmental impact for the product.

Abstract: A micro puree machine has a microswitch for interacting with projections on a bowl to alert the user that the bowl has been installed correctly to the machine housing. The microswitch also interacts with a plunger of a lid and blade assembly to alert the user that the blade has been properly assembled to the lid.

Abstract: A method, computer program, and computer system for encoding or decoding video data, and indicating, with a syntax element, types of slices for all slices of a coded picture, the syntax element being coded using an unsigned integer.

Abstract: A foldable touch screen display device made up of flexible segments that can be folded from a compact state to an expanded state which also includes an aperture that can retract parallel to the respective planes of each flexible display segment structure. The form factor of the compact state is roughly the size of a typical handheld phone or smaller. The form factor of the expanded state is roughly the size of a larger phone or tablet computer, which may also have the size and mechanical functionality of a laptop. The device may also have a flip phone configuration. Both folded states may include an integrated speaker and microphone. The device may also be folded 360 degrees about a hinge such that it can fold to a compact folded state in one direction with its flexible display segments facing inward towards each other, or to an inverted compact folded state in the opposite direction such that the flexible display segments arc facing outward along the device's segment structures.

Abstract: Methods and systems for hybrid feature video bitstream encoding and decoding are provided. Encoding can be performed in one of a plurality of modes. In one mode, the video components of the encoded bitstream include residual data generated encoding the difference between feature data and input video data. A compatible decoder can operate in a plurality of decoding modes. In one decoding mode, the video components are decoded using the encoded video and encoded feature data in the bitstream. The hybrid bitstream between the encoder and decoder is formed with a plurality of hybrid segments, each having a plurality of components specifying characteristics the feature and video content of the segment.

Abstract: Various arrangements for managing a plurality of multimedia communication links in a point-to-multipoint Bluetooth network established between a source device and a plurality of sink devices are presented. An initial set of values of configuration parameters respectively related to each sink device of the plurality of sink devices can be determined. An initial value of a maximum bandwidth usage parameter related to the point-to-multipoint Bluetooth network can be determined. A new set of values of the configuration parameters different from the initial set of values can be determined. The new set of values may be determined to allocate bandwidth usage values between the plurality of multimedia communication links without exceeding the value of the maximum bandwidth usage parameter.