Abstract: A method for reducing a computational load in high efficiency video coding includes generating a full rate distortion calculation list of selected intra coding modes where the intra coding modes including intra prediction modes and depth modeling modes. A rate distortion cost is determined, with a segment-wise depth coding mode being disabled, for each intra prediction mode in the full rate distortion calculation list and a smallest rate distortion cost intra prediction mode is selected. A rate distortion cost for a particular intra prediction mode is calculated with the segment-wise depth coding mode enabled. After comparison, one of the particular intra prediction mode and the smallest rate distortion cost intra prediction mode having the smallest rate distortion cost is applied to a prediction unit.

Abstract: Depth based block partitioning in high efficiency video coding is provided by partitioning a video image block into different partitions using a binary segmentation mask. A determination is made whether to filter pixels at a boundary between the partitions. A particular pixel is not filtered in response to each adjacent pixel in vertical and horizontal planes in relation to the particular pixel having a same value. The particular pixel is filtered in response to any adjacent pixel in the vertical and horizontal planes in relation to the particular pixel having a different value than any other adjacent pixel in the vertical and horizontal planes in relation to the particular pixel. Pixels are filtered pursuant to a filtering process in response to a filtering determination.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a processor configured to determine whether to apply an intra smoothing filter for a prediction unit (PU) based on a lookup table (LUT), wherein the LUT comprises data indicating the intra smoothing filter should not be applied for any PU with a block size of 8×8 pixels and associated with directional prediction mode. The disclosure also includes a method comprising generating reference samples, determining a size of a PU block, and selecting the reference samples based on PU block size, wherein filtered reference samples are not selected for PU blocks with a size of 8×8 pixels and associated with directional prediction mode.

Abstract: A portable medical refrigerator is provided that includes a cooling chamber having a housing, insulation and a cavity, where the insulation dissipates heat from the cooling chamber and insulates the cooling chamber, where the insulation includes a material and thickness disposed to hold the cooling chamber at a desired temperature, where the thickness of the insulation is according to an amount of heat entering the cooling chamber from the ambient surroundings, a thermoelectric cooling (TEC) device having a heat sink fan, and a planar heat pipe, where a first end of the planar heat pipe is connected to the cooling chamber and a second end of the planar heat pipe is connected to the TEC, where the TEC is disposed away from the cooling chamber, where the first end of the planar heat pipe is disposed to draw heat from the insulation to enable attainment of the desired temperature.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method, device and computer-readable storage medium for decoding video data. The method includes: obtaining a reference sample array of a video block; obtaining a sum of the reference sample array; calculating a threshold by performing arithmetic right shift to the sum, a shift value of the arithmetic right shift being determined according to size information of the video block; and determining the binary partition pattern by comparing the reference sample array with the threshold.

Abstract: System and method embodiments are provided for achieving improved View Synthesis Distortion (VSD) calculation and more accurate distortion estimation of encoded video frames. An embodiment method includes obtaining a depth map value for a video frame and determining a weighting factor for depth distortion in accordance with the depth map value. The weighting factor maps a pixel range of the depth map value to an output function having higher values for closer image objects and lower values for farther image objects. The VSD for the video frame is then calculated as a function of absolute horizontal texture gradients weighted by a depth distortion value and the weighting factor determined in accordance with the depth map value.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method, device and computer-readable storage medium for decoding video data. The method includes: obtaining a reference sample array of a video block; obtaining a sum of the reference sample array; calculating a threshold by performing arithmetic right shift to the sum, a shift value of the arithmetic right shift being determined according to size information of the video block; and determining the binary partition pattern by comparing the reference sample array with the threshold.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus and a decoder for decoding a block of a depth map are provided. An ordered list of decoding modes is obtained, wherein the ordered list of decoding modes comprises a plurality of decoding modes each of which is capable of being used for decoding of the block. A plurality of depth modeling modes (DMMs) each of which is capable of being used for decoding of the block are obtained. And whether a DMM of the plurality of DMMs is to be added into the ordered list of decoding modes in accordance with a decision condition is determined.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method, device and computer-readable storage medium for decoding video data. The method includes: obtaining a reference sample array of a video block; obtaining a sum of the reference sample array; calculating a threshold by performing arithmetic right shift to the sum, a shift value of the arithmetic right shift being determined according to size information of the video block; and determining the binary partition pattern by comparing the reference sample array with the threshold.

Abstract: A method of forming microdroplets is provided that includes forming a well plate, using lithography, where the well plate includes a microchannel and a microwell in a surface of the fluid channel, flowing a first fluid into the microchannel, where the microchannel and the microwell are filled with the first fluid, and flowing a second fluid into the microchannel, where the first fluid is displaced from the microchannel, where the first fluid remains in the microwell, where a microdroplet of the first fluid is formed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method, apparatus and computer program product for prediction mode selection for coding a block of a depth map. An ordered list of coding modes is obtained, wherein the ordered list of coding modes comprises a plurality of coding modes each of which is capable of being used for coding of the block. A plurality of depth modeling modes (DMMs) each of which is capable of being used for coding of the block are obtained. And whether a DMM of the plurality of DMMs is to be added into the ordered list of coding modes in accordance with a decision condition is determined.

Abstract: A solar energy heat to electricity conversion device is provided that includes a thermally conductive solar receiver having a cylinder with an open end and a cup-shape closed end and a thermally conductive fin disposed on an outside surface of the cup-shape closed end, where the thermally conductive solar receiver is capable of absorbing solar energy directed into the cylinder, a thermoelectric module (TEM) that includes a first plate and a second plate, where the first plate is in contact with a surface of the thermally conductive fin, where the conductive fin is capable of transferring heat to the first plate, and a thermally conductive water block in contact with the TEM that is capable of cooling the TEM, where the water block includes a fluid input and a fluid output, where the TEM generates electricity according to a temperature difference between the first plate and the second plate.

Abstract: A video codec comprising a processor configured to generate a prediction block for a chroma block, wherein the prediction block comprises a predicted chroma sample, wherein the predicted chroma sample is based on a filtered reconstructed luma sample located in a corresponding reconstructed luma block, a plurality of downsampled filtered reconstructed luma samples located in positions neighboring the corresponding reconstructed luma block, and a plurality of downsampled chroma samples located in positions neighboring the chroma block.

Abstract: A method comprising receiving a plurality of reference pixels, computing a plurality of filter coefficients based on differences between a reference pixel and neighboring reference pixels in the plurality of reference pixels, and combining the filter coefficients with the reference pixel and the neighboring reference pixels to generate a filtered value, wherein the filtered value is used for intra prediction.

Abstract: A motion controlled tracking mount is provided that includes a lateral rail perpendicular to a longitudinal rail, a first translation element slides on the lateral rail and a second translation element slides on the longitudinal rail and slides onto the lateral rail, a first rotatable connector attached to the first translation element and a second rotatable connector attached to the second translation element that rotate about axes perpendicular to the lateral and longitudinal rails, an apparatus mount with a distal region pivotably connected to the second rotatable connector, where the pivotable connection axis is parallel to a lateral dimension of the mount, and a linkage with a proximal end pivotable connected to the first rotatable connector and a distal end is pivotably connected to a proximal region of the mount, where an axis of the pivotable connection at the distal end is parallel to the lateral dimension of the mount.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method, device and computer-readable storage medium for decoding video data. The method includes: obtaining a reference sample array of a video block; obtaining a sum of the reference sample array; calculating a threshold by performing arithmetic right shift to the sum, a shift value of the arithmetic right shift being determined according to size information of the video block; and determining the binary partition pattern by comparing the reference sample array with the threshold.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method, apparatus and computer program product for prediction mode selection for coding a block of a depth map. An ordered list of coding modes is obtained, wherein the ordered list of coding modes comprises a plurality of coding modes. And whether a depth modeling mode and/or a region boundary chain mode is to be added into the ordered list of coding modes in accordance with a decision condition is determined.

Abstract: A material that can be applied as implants designed to artificially replace or augment the cornea, such as an artificial cornea, corneal onlay, or corneal inlay (intrastromal lens) is provided. The artificial corneal implant has a double network hydrogel with a first network interpenetrated with a second network. The first network and the second network are based on biocompatible polymers. At least one of the network polymers is based on a hydrophilic polymer. The artificial cornea or implant has epithelialization promoting biomolecules that are covalently linked to the surface of the double network hydrogel using an azide-active-ester chemical linker. Corneal epithelial cells or cornea-derived cells are adhered to the biomolecules. The double network has a physiologic diffusion coefficient to allow passage of nutrients to the adhered cells.