Abstract: A smart driver safety system for a vehicle is described. The system includes a drowsy driver detector, an attention diversion monitor, an automatic mirror adjustment subsystem, and a plurality of actuators. The drowsy driver detector determines a head position of the driver and detects an eye position of the driver's eyes. When the driver's eyes are closed, the drowsy driver detector determines a time duration of an eye closure and compares the time duration to a drowsiness threshold. When the eye closure exceeds the drowsiness threshold, the drowsy driver detector generates a drowsiness alert signal. The attention diversion monitor detects an attention diversion based on the eye position and the eye closure and generates an attention diversion alert signal. The automatic mirror adjustment subsystem adjusts a side mirror of the vehicle based on the eye position and the head position.

Abstract: A method to suppresses speckle noise in medical ultrasound images includes ultrasound envelope image matrix A formed from the medical ultrasound images and segmented into overlapping segments, to form a sub-matrix B for each overlapping segment. A Hermitian covariance matrix C is formulated from column vectors Z. A global covariance matrix G is formed by averaging the C. A Lanczos decomposition is applied to the G to generate an orthonormal vector matrix composed of orthonormal vectors. A tridiagonal matrix H is generated. The orthonormal vectors are sorted based on magnitude of each column. An orthogonal projection matrix Porth is formed based on the orthonormal vectors. An estimated vector signal {circumflex over (Z)} is obtained by projecting Z by Porth. An estimated despeckled segment is formed from the {circumflex over (Z)}. An estimated despeckled ultrasound image is reconstructed by averaging each pixel by the number of segment updates.

Abstract: A system, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium for using a smart collar to monitor a pet are described. The system includes a smart collar, a mobile computing device including a display screen, and a pet monitoring mobile application stored on the mobile computing device. The smart collar includes a global positioning receiver, a communications device, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a rechargeable battery, and a microcontroller. The microcontroller calculates a distance of a current location of the smart collar from a desired location, determines when the distance is greater than a first distance threshold, and generates a communications packet including the current location, the perimeter, and the distance of the smart collar from the desired location, and transmits the communications packet. The mobile computing device receives the communications packet, and the pet monitoring mobile application displays the current location on a display screen of the mobile computing device.

Abstract: A relief valve device having a valve disc positioned above a nozzle, a disc holder surrounding an outer periphery of the valve disc, and a spring surrounding a valve stem. A bottom section of the nozzle is connected to a valve body and a top section of the nozzle is connected to the valve disc. An interior surface of the nozzle contains at least one groove having a circular cross-sectional profile. The relief valve device prevents flow through the nozzle when a pressure at an inlet of the nozzle is below a predetermined force of the spring. When the pressure exceeds the predetermined force of the spring the valve stem is moved linearly through the longitudinal axis of the spring to displace the valve disc from sitting atop the nozzle and permit flow through the nozzle.

Abstract: A relief valve device having a spring, a valve bonnet, a valve stem, a disc holder, a valve disc, a huddling chamber, a blowdown ring, and a nozzle. In the valve device, the valve disc is positioned above the nozzle; the spring is disposed in the valve bonnet; the spring surrounds the valve stem such that a longitudinal axis of the spring and a longitudinal axis of the valve stem are coaxial; the disc holder surrounds an outer periphery of the valve disc and is adjacent and in direct contact with a surface of the valve disc around an entire perimeter of the valve disc; the blowdown ring is disposed at a top section of the nozzle; a bottom section of the nozzle is connected to a bottom surface of a valve body and the top section of the nozzle is connected to the valve disc; and the disc holder is filled with oil.

Abstract: A relief valve device having a spring, a valve bonnet, a valve stem, a disc holder, a valve disc, a huddling chamber, a blowdown ring, and a nozzle. In the valve device, the valve disc is positioned above the nozzle; the spring is disposed in the valve bonnet; the spring surrounds the valve stem such that a longitudinal axis of the spring and a longitudinal axis of the valve stem are coaxial; the disc holder surrounds an outer periphery of the valve disc and is adjacent and in direct contact with a surface of the valve disc around an entire perimeter of the valve disc; the blowdown ring is disposed at a top section of the nozzle; a bottom section of the nozzle is connected to a bottom surface of a valve body and the top section of the nozzle is connected to the valve disc; and the disc holder is filled with oil.

Abstract: A flexure bearing having a first sleeve and a second sleeve is provided. Each sleeve includes a first pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve and a second pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve parallel to and diametrically opposed to the first pillar. The flexure bearing has a plurality of blind holes and a plurality of compression springs, each compression spring having a first spring end fit into one of the blind holes of a pillar of the first sleeve and a second spring end fit into a corresponding blind hole of an adjacent pillar of the second sleeve when the second sleeve is interconnected to the first sleeve.

Abstract: A flexure bearing having a first sleeve and a second sleeve is provided. Each sleeve includes a first pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve and a second pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve parallel to and diametrically opposed to the first pillar. The flexure bearing has a plurality of blind holes and a plurality of compression springs, each compression spring having a first spring end fit into one of the blind holes of a pillar of the first sleeve and a second spring end fit into a corresponding blind hole of an adjacent pillar of the second sleeve when the second sleeve is interconnected to the first sleeve.

Abstract: A device, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium are described. The method includes receiving a dataset including hand written Arabic words and hand written Arabic alphabets from one or more users. The method further includes removing whitespace around alphabets in the hand written Arabic words and the hand written Arabic alphabets in the dataset. The method further includes splitting the dataset into a training set, a validation set, and a test set. The method further includes classifying one or more user datasets from the training set, the validation set, and the test set. The method further includes identifying the target user from the one or more user datasets. The identification of the target user includes a verification accuracy of the hand written Arabic words being larger than a verification accuracy threshold value.

Abstract: A paper tray access system for a printer includes a locking cover of paper tray, an authentication device, a weight sensor located beneath the paper tray, a printer display, a computing device including electrical circuitry, a memory storing program instructions and at least one processor. The computing device is configured to receive user input from the authentication device and determine whether the user input matches the authentication record. When user input matches authentication record, the computing device presents a selection on printer display to access a paper tray, receives the selection, records a first weight of the paper tray upon receiving the selection, unlocks the locking cover, records a second weight of the paper tray, calculates an amount of papers removed from paper tray when second weight is less than first weight, and calculates an amount of papers added to paper tray when second weight is greater than first weight.

Abstract: A relief valve device having a spring, a valve bonnet, a valve stem, a disc holder, a valve disc, a huddling chamber, a blowdown ring, and a nozzle. In the valve device, the valve disc is positioned above the nozzle; the spring is disposed in the valve bonnet; the spring surrounds the valve stem such that a longitudinal axis of the spring and a longitudinal axis of the valve stem are coaxial; the disc holder surrounds an outer periphery of the valve disc and is adjacent and in direct contact with a surface of the valve disc around an entire perimeter of the valve disc; the blowdown ring is disposed at a top section of the nozzle; a bottom section of the nozzle is connected to a bottom surface of a valve body and the top section of the nozzle is connected to the valve disc; and the disc holder is filled with oil.

Abstract: A system, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium for using a smart collar to monitor a pet are described. The system includes a smart collar, a mobile computing device including a display screen, and a pet monitoring mobile application stored on the mobile computing device. The smart collar includes a global positioning receiver, a communications device, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a rechargeable battery, and a microcontroller. The microcontroller calculates a distance of a current location of the smart collar from a desired location, determines when the distance is greater than a first distance threshold, and generates a communications packet including the current location, the perimeter, and the distance of the smart collar from the desired location, and transmits the communications packet. The mobile computing device receives the communications packet, and the pet monitoring mobile application displays the current location on a display screen of the mobile computing device.

Abstract: The foundation system includes a below ground rigid raft foundation to bear a load for an above ground structure, and granular cushions and piles formed below the raft foundation. The granular cushions are configured for uniform load distribution of the raft foundation and the piles are configured to bear a load of the above ground structure and the raft foundation. The foundation system further includes stone columns encapsulated with a non-woven geofabric and configured to stabilize the raft foundation. The raft foundation is disposed adjacent and above the stone columns, the granular cushions are present between neighboring stone columns, and the granular cushions are present between the stone columns and the piles. The stone columns have a cementing agent for stabilization.

Abstract: The foundation system includes a below ground rigid raft foundation to bear a load for an above ground structure, and granular cushions and piles formed below the raft foundation. The granular cushions are configured for uniform load distribution of the raft foundation and the piles are configured to bear a load of the above ground structure and the raft foundation. The foundation system further includes stone columns encapsulated with a non-woven geofabric and configured to stabilize the raft foundation. The raft foundation is disposed adjacent and above the stone columns, the granular cushions are present between neighboring stone columns, and the granular cushions are present between the stone columns and the piles. The stone columns have a cementing agent for stabilization.

Abstract: A flexure bearing having a first sleeve and a. second sleeve is provided. Each sleeve includes a first pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve and a second pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve parallel to and diametrically opposed to the first pillar. The flexure hearing has a plurality of blind holes and a plurality of compression springs, each compression spring having a first spring end fit into one of the blind holes of a pillar of the first sleeve and a second spring end fit into a corresponding blind hole of an adjacent pillar of the second sleeve when the second sleeve is interconnected to the first sleeve.

Abstract: A flexure bearing having a first sleeve and a second sleeve is provided. Each sleeve includes a first pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve and a second pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve parallel to and diametrically opposed to the first pillar. The flexure bearing has a plurality of blind holes and a plurality of compression springs, each compression spring having a first spring end fit into one of the blind holes of a pillar of the first sleeve and a second spring end fit into a corresponding blind hole of an adjacent pillar of the second sleeve when the second sleeve is interconnected to the first sleeve.

Abstract: A flexure bearing having a first sleeve and a second sleeve is provided. Each sleeve includes a first pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve and a second pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve parallel to and diametrically opposed to the first pillar. The flexure bearing has a plurality of blind holes and a plurality of compression springs, each compression spring having a first spring end fit into one of the blind holes of a pillar of the first sleeve and a second spring end fit into a corresponding blind hole of an adjacent pillar of the second sleeve when the second sleeve is interconnected to the first sleeve.

Abstract: A method for producing a modified sawdust sorbent. The method involves sulfonating sawdust with sulfuric acid and oxidizing the sulfonated sawdust with hydrogen peroxide. The method yields a modified sawdust sorbent containing sulfonated and oxidized cellulose. The modified sawdust sorbent has a higher surface area, higher organic dye adsorption capacity, and more rapid organic dye adsorption rate than unmodified sawdust. A method for organic dye removal from water includes using the modified sawdust sorbent to absorb dyes from water.

Abstract: A flexible pavement structure comprises a surface layer, a base layer, a sub-base layer, and a subgrade layer. Herein, the surface layer is adjacent to and above the base layer, and the sub-base layer is adjacent to and above the subgrade layer. The flexible pavement structure further comprises a layered system composed of first, second, and third materials different from each other, and is disposed as an interface layer between the base layer and the sub-base layer. The first material is a geotextile fabric selected from a group consisting of polypropylene and polyethylene, providing ground stabilization or reinforcement properties. The second material is a waterproof heat insulation material selected from a group consisting of cross-linked polyethylene foam and laminated aluminum foil, providing waterproofing or impermeability properties. The third material is a glass foamed insulation material.

Abstract: A flexure bearing having a first sleeve and a second sleeve is provided. Each sleeve includes a first pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve and a second pillar having a first end attached to the sleeve and a second end projecting outwardly from the sleeve parallel to and diametrically opposed to the first pillar. The flexure bearing has a plurality of blind holes and a plurality of compression springs, each compression spring having a first spring end fit into one of the blind holes of a pillar of the first sleeve and a second spring end fit into a corresponding blind hole of an adjacent pillar of the second sleeve when the second sleeve is interconnected to the first sleeve.