Abstract: The technology relates to autonomous vehicles that use a perception system to detect objects and features in the vehicle's surroundings. A camera assembly having a ling-type structure is provided that gives the perception system an overall 360° field of view around the vehicle. Image sensors are arranged in camera modules around the assembly to provide a seamless panoramic field of view. One subsystem has multiple pairs of image sensors positioned to provide the overall 360° field of view, while another subsystem provides a set of image sensors generally facing toward the front of the vehicle to provide enhanced object identification. The camera assembly may be arranged in a housing located on top of the vehicle. The housing may include other sensors such as LIDAR and radar. The assembly includes a chassis and top and base plates, which may provide EMI protection from other sensors disposed in the housing.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating calm or quiet routes are provided. When a user requests navigation directions and indicates a preference for a calm route, a plurality of routes between the origin location and the destination location requested by the user may be identified. Historical sensor data (e.g., including heart rate data, exterior vehicle noise level data, accelerometer data) and traffic data associated with route segments of each of the routes may be analyzed to identify indications of calmness associated with each route segment. Current traffic data associated with the route segments may be analyzed to assign a traffic score representing a level of congestion along the segment and corresponding to a level of insurance risk associated with traversing the segment. Based at least in part upon the indications of calmness and the traffic score associated with each route segment, a route may be selected and presented to the user.

Abstract: A replacement heart valve comprises a unibody, folded, double-wall stent, with a stent cover and a leaflet valve attached to the inner lumen of the stent. The heart valve is delivered using a multi-pulley, suture-based stent restraint assembly provided by fixed guide openings or structures along the distal end of the delivery system that independently permits expansion of the distal and proximal ends of the outer wall of the stent, and control of the inner wall expansion simultaneously with or separately from the expansion of the outer wall.

Abstract: In various examples, a trigger signal may be received that is indicative of a vehicle maneuver to be performed by a vehicle. A recommended vehicle trajectory for the vehicle maneuver may be determined in response to the trigger signal being received. To determine the recommended vehicle trajectory, sensor data may be received that represents a field of view of at least one sensor of the vehicle. A value of a control input and the sensor data may then be applied to a machine learning model(s) and the machine learning model(s) may compute output data that includes vehicle control data that represents the recommended vehicle trajectory for the vehicle through at least a portion of the vehicle maneuver. The vehicle control data may then be sent to a control component of the vehicle to cause the vehicle to be controlled according to the vehicle control data.

Abstract: A refuse vehicle includes a chassis supporting a plurality of wheels and a vehicle body. The vehicle body defines a receptacle for storing refuse. A lifting system is movable between a first position and a second position vertically offset from the first position. A processing unit is in communication with a first sensor having a first field of view and a second sensor having a second field of view. The processing unit activates the second sensor upon receiving an indication, from the first sensor, that an indicator is present within the second field of view. In some embodiments, the indicator is the presence of a positive object, like a waste container. In other embodiments, the indicator is the omission of an object (e.g., no container is detected) within the field of view.

Abstract: An endoprosthesis has an expanded state and an unexpanded state, the endoprosthesis includes a stent, wherein the stent has a first end, a second end, an inner surface defining a lumen, an outer surface, and a thickness defined between the inner surface and the outer surface; and a stent end covering disposed at one of the first and second ends, the stent end covering including a polymeric coating that includes a base and a plurality of protrusions, the base including a first major surface facing the outer surface of the stent, the base further including a second major surface from which each of the plurality of protrusions extends outwardly, the first major surface opposing the second major surface, wherein the protrusions are arranged in a micropattern. Methods of making and using an endoprosthesis are provided.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a system and method for isolating an interior of a motor vehicle from poor outdoor air quality. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a system and method configured to identify conditions associated with poor outdoor air quality and to respond to those conditions by isolating the interior of the motor vehicle from the outdoor environment. An example system includes a selector configured to permit a user to select a drive mode of the motor vehicle, a location system configured to detect a location of the motor vehicle, and a controller configured to issue one or more commands to isolate an interior of the motor vehicle from an environment outside the motor vehicle based on either a selected drive mode or a detected location.

Abstract: Systems and methods for autonomous vehicle operations are provided. An example computer-implemented method includes obtaining data indicative of vehicle fleet feature(s) associated with an autonomous vehicle fleet. The method includes obtaining data indicative of a vehicle service request associated with a user, the vehicle service request indicating a request for a vehicle service. The method includes determining user feature(s) associated with the user. The method includes determining a compatibility of the user and the autonomous vehicle fleet for the vehicle service based at least in part on the fleet feature(s) and the user feature(s). Determining the compatibility can include predicting how the autonomous vehicle fleet will perform the vehicle service associated with the vehicle service request based at least in part on the fleet's autonomy capabilities. The method includes communicating data associated with the vehicle service request to a computing system associated with the autonomous vehicle fleet.

Abstract: A method for detecting a direction of a collision of a vehicle. The method includes a comparing step, in which a first acceleration signal is compared to two threshold values, in order to determine a first collision direction signal indicating a direction of the collision, and in which a second acceleration signal is compared to a further threshold value, in order to determine a further collision direction signal indicating a direction of the collision. The second acceleration signal represents the acceleration of the vehicle subjected to smoothing. In the determining step, using the first collision direction signal and the further collision direction signal, a result signal is determined, which indicates the direction indicated by the first collision direction signal and by the further collision direction signal as an actual collision direction.

Abstract: A heart valve assembly includes an outer frame. The outer frame is formed from a metallic material and defines a gridded configuration. An inner frame houses a prosthetic heart valve. The inner frame is a graft covering extending around the prosthetic heart valve for providing sealing to the heart valve. The graft covering is one of polyester, PTFE, ePTFE, or a polymer. The outer frame is secured to the graft covering. The outer frame is secured to the graft covering by a plurality of stitches. A plurality of radially extending fibers extend from the graft covering and through the outer metallic frame to form a seal positioned outwardly of the outer frame. The fibers include strands of fibers that terminate in an end thereof outwardly of the outer frame.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve (e.g., a prosthetic aortic valve) is designed to be somewhat circumferentially collapsible and then re-expandable. The collapsed condition may be used for less invasive delivery of the valve into a patient. When the valve reaches the implant site in the patient, it re-expands to normal operating size, and also to engage surrounding tissue of the patient. The valve includes a stent portion and a ring portion that is substantially concentric with the stent portion but downstream from the stent portion in the direction of blood flow through the implanted valve. When the valve is implanted, the stent portion engages the patient's tissue at or near the native valve annulus, while the ring portion engages tissue downstream from the native valve site (e.g., the aorta).

Abstract: An integrated valve prosthesis includes an anchor stent, a tether component, and a valve component. The anchor stent includes a self-expanding tubular frame member configured to be deployed in the annulus of an aortic valve or the aorta. The valve component includes a valve frame and a prosthetic valve coupled to the valve frame, and is configured to be deployed within the anchor stent. The tether component includes a first end coupled to the anchor stent and a second end coupled to the valve frame. In the delivery configuration, the tether component extends in a first direction from the anchor stent to the valve component, and in the deployed configuration, the tether component extends in a second direction from the anchor stent to the valve component. The second direction is generally opposite the first direction. The tether component may set the location of the valve component relative to the anchor stent.

Abstract: A system and method for distributing and providing access to media and for extending such access to a desktop environment is described. A media player in a webpage or in a desktop environment may reference a centralized location to access a playlist of media files. The playlist itself may reference remotely-located media files that may be streamed to the media player. The media player may be distributed in multiple environments, and updates to the playlist may be automatically distributed to all instances where the playlist is referenced due to the centralized reference in the media player. The embodiments of the media player may also be used in advertising as a mechanism for increasing user contact with an advertising entity and as a mechanism for distributing announcements and information by the advertiser.

Abstract: A map creation device includes a processor, and the processor is configured to execute a program to acquire an image captured by a camera mounted in a vehicle, estimate a first position indicating a position of the vehicle and an error of the first position based on information indicating a traveling state of the vehicle, estimate a second position indicating the position of the vehicle and an error of the second position based on radio waves transmitted from artificial satellites, set position information of the vehicle preferentially using one position with a smaller error of the first position and the second position, and create a map of places in which the vehicle has traveled based on the set position information of the vehicle and the image.

Abstract: A method executed by an information processing device, the method including: acquiring a first predicted value of a power demand in an area that includes one or more residential facilities; and dispatching a vehicle that moves at least some of the residents of the area from the residential facilities when a predetermined condition relating to the first predicted value is satisfied.

Abstract: A system and method for providing localization, including, during a training phase: obtaining a training dataset of accelerations, angular velocities, and known locations over time of vehicles moving in a defined area; and training a machine learning model to provide location estimation in the defined area based on the accelerations and angular velocities using the training dataset; and during runtime phase: obtaining runtime accelerations and angular velocities overtime of a vehicle moving in the defined area; and using the trained model to obtain current location of the vehicle based on the runtime acceleration and angular velocities.

Abstract: An implantable prosthetic device such as might be used to treat poor function of a diseased heart valve in a medical patient includes a body portion and an anchor portion including a plurality of paddles. Clasps attached to the paddles include fixed arms and moveable arms operable to secure the device to the patient's native valve leaflets.

Abstract: An interface module for a vehicle comprises a circuit board having a light emitting device and at least one stationary light pipe for conveying the light emitted from the light emitting device. The interface module also includes at least one electromechanical switch having a moveable actuation member and a feedback device associated with moveable actuation member. The feedback device aligns with the at least one stationary light pipe when the at least one electromechanical switch is assembled in the interface module, wherein the light emitted from the light emitting device is visible through the feedback device.

Abstract: In response to receiving a text describing a news event, a centralized information provider applies semantic rules to the text to determine to which client attributes the text corresponds. The centralized information provider retrieves, from an electronic database, (i) identifiers for multiple clients, (ii) a set of client attributes for each of the clients, and (iii) for each of the clients, an identifier of a respective service provider. The centralized information provider then generates a metric of relevance of the news event for each of the clients, based on the client attributes of the client and the client attributes to which the text was determined to correspond. The centralized information provider transmits, to at least one service provider, an electronic alert message descriptive of the news event and an indication of a set of clients of the service provider for distribution to some or all of the set of clients.

Abstract: Modularizable implants and stents made with bio-absorbable metal wire alloys (‘bio-metals’, e.g. magnesium and alloys), and methods for making such implants and stents. The stents or implants may include one or more wire-formed rings or comprise inter-connected cells that form nets that may serve as modules that are assembled mechanically into stents, without the need for certain manufacturing processes that may affect the durability and physical properties thereof. The wires may be formed into rings mechanically and held in place using joining cuffs, and/or adjacent wires may be secured to one other mechanically using joining cuffs to form nets which can be used as implants or formed into stents. The stents can include radiopaque portions, e.g. associated with one or more joining cuffs, to aid in the positioning and evaluation of stents in the body by serving as visual indicators of alignment and expansion that can be detected using X-rays.