Abstract: A sheet stacking device includes: a sheet discharge unit; a sheet stacking unit; a pair of cursors; and a control unit. The cursors perform widthwise alignment processing in which the cursors contact lateral end surfaces of the sheet to perform widthwise alignment. The control unit, before a leading end of the sheet reaches a sheet stacking surface, executes sheet guiding processing in which the cursors are positioned at a sheet guiding position to contact a bottom surface of the sheet and guide the sheet toward the sheet discharge direction. The control unit, when the leading end of the sheet passes a predetermined position, positions the cursors at a retracted position that is further outward than the lateral end surfaces of the sheet are, and once a trailing end of the sheet passes through the sheet discharge unit and the sheet is placed on the tray, executes the widthwise alignment processing.

Abstract: Images in bitonal formats often include watermarks, stamps, or other patterns and artifacts. These patterned artifacts may be represented as a series of geometric points, dots, and/or dashes in the general shape of the original pattern. These patterned artifacts make other processes such as optical character recognition (OCR) difficult or impossible when items or pixels of interest are also found within the pattern of such artifact(s). Current patterned artifact removal solutions use methods of erosion to minimize the unwanted patterned artifact. However, such methods also erode the pixels/items of interest which, in turn, cause failures in other processes, such as OCR, that are desired to be carried out on or with the image.

Abstract: A main top of a gas cooktop appliance defining vertical, lateral, and transverse directions includes a front edge, a bottom surface, a top surface, and a transition surface. The front and rear edges are spaced apart from one another along the transverse direction. The bottom surface is positioned between the front and rear edges along the transverse direction, and the bottom defines a first plurality of openings. The top surface is spaced apart from the bottom surface along the vertical direction, and the top surface surrounds a perimeter of the bottom surface. The top surface defines a second plurality of openings positioned between the bottom surface and the front edge along the transverse direction. The transition surface extends between the bottom surface and the top surface along the vertical direction, and is spaced apart from the front edge along the transverse direction. The transition surface also defines an opening.

Abstract: An aftertreatment system includes a filter configured to receive an exhaust gas and a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system configured to treat the exhaust gas. A body mixer is disposed downstream of the filter and upstream of the SCR system. The body mixer includes a housing defining an internal volume and including at least a first passageway, a second passageway, and a third passageway. The first passageway receives a flow of the exhaust gas from the filter and directs the flow of the exhaust gas towards the second passageway. The second passageway redirects the flow in a second direction opposite the first direction towards the third passageway. The third passageway redirects the flow in a third direction opposite the second direction towards the SCR system. An injection port is disposed on a sidewall of the housing and configured to communicate an exhaust reductant into the internal volume.

Abstract: A photonic chip having a photonic-circuit layer supported on a substrate, the photonic-circuit layer including a suspended portion that extends beyond the outline of the substrate on the photonic-circuit layer. In various embodiments, the suspended portion may host one or more functional optical elements, such as an on-chip grating coupler, an on-chip microring resonator, and an on chip optical waveguide, that can be used to couple light in and out of the photonic chip. The geometry of the suspended portion enables unencumbered (e.g., double-sided) access to the one or more functional optical elements located therein and can advantageously be used to place an optical fiber and/or a second photonic chip sufficiently close to those functional optical elements to achieve a high chip-to-fiber or chip-to-chip optical-coupling efficiency.

Abstract: A system may provide a smart contract interface for blockchain interoperability. The system receive selection parameters indicative of a furnisher blockchain and a receiver blockchain. The system may obtain, based on the selection parameters, furnisher synchronization logic and receiver synchronization logic. The furnisher synchronization logic may include instructions to lock token data on the furnisher blockchain. The receiver synchronization logic may include instructions to commit token data to the receiver blockchain. The system may generate an interoperability smart contract comprising the furnisher synchronization logic and the receiver synchronization logic. The system may deploy the interoperability smart contract to a furnisher blockchain and the receiver blockchain.

Abstract: Provided is a medical observation apparatus, including: a control unit that controls a zoom of an imaging device based on a distance between the imaging device supported by an arm in which a plurality of links are connected to each other through a joint portion, and an observation target, in which the control unit controls the zoom such that an index value relevant to an actual field of view of the imaging device approximates to a target value that is set.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a time-of-flight device having a photo-detection layer and a nanostructure layer arranged on the photo-detection layer. The nanostructure layer has a wavelength filtering function and a focusing function, such that the wavelength range of light incident on the nanostructure layer is reduced to a predefined wavelength range and light emitted from the nanostructure is focused on the photo-detection layer.

Abstract: A system may be integrated within or coupled to a vehicle, in a car seat, a seat cover, a pad, or another device. The system may determine placement of an object within the vehicle. When the driver parks and turns off the vehicle, the system may provide one or more visible or audible indicators to remind the user to check the back seat, trunk, or storage area of the vehicle. The audible indicators may utilize the speakers of the vehicle or the car horn. The visible indicators may include turning on or flashing interior or exterior lights, displaying information on a dashboard display or on a projected or augmented display on the windshield, and so on. In some instances, the system may send an alert to a smartphone, a key fob, another electronic device, or an emergency system to prevent overheating of an infant, a pet, groceries, and so on.

Abstract: A tray for a mass-transfer column permits contact between a liquid phase and a gas phase. The tray may comprise a tray feed via which the tray is charged with the liquid phase, a tray drain via which the liquid phase drains from the tray, and first guide means for guiding the liquid phase where the first guide means forms a first course path along which the liquid phase flows from the tray feed to the tray drain, enabling contact with the gas phase. A second guide means may form a second course path overlapping with the first course path, which leads from an inlet to an outlet. The first guide means may have at least two partial concentric paths. Temperature-control fluid may flow along the second course path in at least one of the at least two partial paths opposite the flow direction of the liquid phase.

Abstract: A medical holding device includes: an arm configured by coupling a plurality of links to each other by joints, the arm having at least seven or more degrees of freedom by rotational operations on rotation axes, and being configured to support a medical instrument; and an arm controller configured to control an operation of the arm. The arm has six degrees of freedom realized by rotational operations of six passive rotation axes that passively rotate and one or more degrees of freedom realized by rotational operations of one or more active rotation axes that actively rotate, and the arm controller is configured to rotate the active rotation axis so as to avoid a predetermined state of a posture of the arm.

Abstract: A system may receive a request to perform a token exchange between a first account and a second account. A selected token for the token exchange may be associated with the first account. A hash of the selected token may be stored on a furnisher blockchain of a first distributed ledger. The system may generate a new token and a hash of the new token. The system may generate a shielded exchange instruction, the shielded exchange instruction comprising the hash of the new token and a zero-knowledge proof, wherein the zero-knowledge proof is indicative of the selected token being associated with the first account. The system may submit the shielded exchange instruction to a distributed ledger technology platform to cause execution of a furnisher smart contract and a receiver smart contract. Each of the smart contracts are configured to separately verify the zero-knowledge proof and update corresponding blockchains to consummate and record the token exchange.

Abstract: A first retractable member is provided so as to be freely retractable with respect to the first location hole of a turning member in a state where the first retractable member makes contact with a fitting portion. The first retractable member turns the turning member based on a contact force with the fitting portion corresponding to advance and retreat with respect to the first location hole. The first retractable member moves a fourth engagement portion as the turning member is turned so as to change an engagement position with a third engagement portion, and thereby makes a head unit swing with the engagement position of a first engagement portion and a second engagement portion serving as a fulcrum point so as to adjust the position of the head unit in the fitting portion.

Abstract: Each of a first pressing member and a second pressing member is rotatable about a predetermined axis so as to be capable of changing its posture between a first posture and a second posture inclined upward at its end from the first posture, and is disposed on the mounting part in a rockable manner in a direction pressing the head unit, so as to press the head unit in the first posture.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for biological treatment of carbon, nitrogen and optionally phosphorus in water, in a reactor system (1) comprising a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) (2) and a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) (3). The method comprises a step (10) of filling said SBR reactor (2) with water to be treated (5), a step (20) of anoxic/aerobic biological treatment in said reactor system (1) and a step (30) of discharging treated water (35) from said SBR reactor (2). The anoxic/aerobic biological treatment step (20) comprises: a biological treatment (210) under largely anoxic conditions in the SBR reactor (2), producing a first effluent (215), a biological treatment (220) under aerobic conditions in the MBBR reactor (3), producing a second effluent (225), and a continuous recirculation of the first and second effluents. The present invention also concerns a corresponding facility.

Abstract: There is provided a distance measurement system for a vehicle. The system comprises a plurality of light sources including a first light source and a second light source, wherein the first light source is configured to irradiate a first irradiation range within the vehicle and the second light source is configured to irradiate a second irradiation range within the vehicle different from the first irradiation range, and at least one time-of-flight sensor arranged to sense light reflected from objects in the first irradiation range and the second irradiation range.

Abstract: This technology relates to an information processing apparatus for accurately notifying a mobile object of a position of a moving body nearby, and to an information processing method, a program, and a mobile object for use with the information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes a moving body detection section that detects the moving body near the mobile object on the basis of information input from sensors, and a sound output control section that shifts the position of a sound image of a notification sound giving notification of the position of the moving body in keeping with a detected position thereof in motion. This technology can be applied to apparatuses, systems, or vehicles that provide driver assistance for preventing collision or contact with the moving body, for example.

Abstract: A name tag includes a display section, a communication section that communicates with a base device, and a controller. The controller switches an operation mode of the name tag from a normal mode that is an operation mode for non-emergency to an emergency mode that is an operation mode for emergency upon occurrence of disruption of communication with the base device. In the normal mode, the display section is controlled by the controller to display a name of a user. In the emergency mode, the display section is controlled by the controller to display emergency information including information indicating an evacuation center.

Abstract: A camera module includes an imaging device. The imaging device has a solid-state image sensor and a glass substrate bonded to a light-incident side of the solid-state image sensor. The solid-state image sensor and the glass substrate together form an integral body. A circuit substrate is electrically coupled to the solid-state image sensor. A spacer fixes a position of the imaging device relative to the circuit substrate. The spacer has a fixing structure. The fixing structure has a plurality of first surfaces positioned closer to the imaging device than at least one second surface of the spacer. The at least one second surface of the spacer is separated from the imaging device by adhesive.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a recording medium is a recording medium in a card form. The recording medium includes a substrate, and a color development layer laminated on the substrate, and provided with a line for security that extends along a lamination surface of the substrate from an end face of the recording medium, such that presence or absence of the line for security is optically identifiable at the end face. It is thus provided a recording medium that can easily prevent falsification with a simple structure, and allows authenticity determination to be performed relatively easily.