Abstract: A floatable flood detector has a watertight housing that carries internally a wireless transmitter and a fluid sensor. In the presence of sensed fluid, an alarm message can be transmitted by the transmitter to a displaced monitoring unit. The sensor has a portion exposed to the fluid of interest outside of the housing. The antenna is carried, at least at a fluid level, relative to the floating housing.

Abstract: A medication dispenser is described. A plurality of drawers capable of storing medications is arranged in an array. For personal use, each drawer has an illuminatable number thereon representing a date in a month. For institutional use, each drawer has an associated adjacent illuminatable patient identification section. Illuminatable numbers in a row above the drawers correspond to hours in a day wherein a current time is displayed by illuminating one of the numbers. Rechargeable batteries maintain a memory capable of storing information about when each of a plurality of medications is to be taken. When the current time matches a time when one of the medications is to be taken, a number on the drawer corresponding to a current date or the particular patient identification section is illuminated. A sensor senses when a particular drawer is opened and saves in memory the current time and drawer identification.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some implementations a retractable environmental detector system includes two portions, a base or retractor unit that can be attached to a ceiling and a retractable environmental detector operably coupled to the base or retractor through a flexible retractable connector that retracts and extends the retractable environmental detector from and to the base or retractor.

Abstract: A building comprising a plurality of rooms (10) includes a room occupancy sensing apparatus. A light source (20) emits a series of light pulses (22), a plurality of waveguides deliver light from the light source to output nodes (60) located in the rooms, and a signal capture unit (30) receives output signals resulting from light reflected by objects in the rooms. The apparatus detects movement, of for example a person (40), in a room and ascertains the room concerned by virtue of (i) detecting a difference between the shape of the waveform of the signal (24 i) received at the signal capture unit (30) in response to a first emitted light pulse and the shape of the waveform of the signal (24m) received at the signal capture unit in response to a second emitted light pulse and (ii) relating said reflected light pulses to the appropriate output node and therefore to the room (10) associated with that output node (60).

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention track users' hand-cleaning compliance and display an indication of each user's compliance so that others can estimate how well each user complies with policy guidelines. Making sanitation compliance visible in this way enables social pressure to be focused on negligent users without requiring others to take specific, individual actions to call out a negligent user. Other features of the system are also described and claimed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for monitoring and reporting hand washing at a sanitizing station employs a sensor for signaling the dispensing of a sanitizer from a dispenser and a sensor module detecting the direction of passage of an individual into and out of a portal, such as the entrance to a sanitary area. The apparatus operates in a normal mode and a bypass mode. In the normal mode, the apparatus responds to the sensor indicating that an individual has not dispensed sufficient sanitizer to mitigate the spread of germs from care giver/health care worker to patient, and sounds an alarm when the individual passes through the portal in a particular direction, for example into or out of the sanitary area. Separate signals can be generated and recorded for each direction of passage through the portal. In the bypass mode, the alarm is not sounded and allows passage into and out of the sanitary area when a sanitary condition is not needed.

Abstract: An embedded security system for an environment-controlled trailer including a transportation refrigeration unit. The security system includes a plurality of sensors mounted to the trailer and a communication device embedded in the transportation refrigeration unit of the trailer, the communication device being configured to receive data from the plurality of sensors, and to send the received data to a controller being remote from the trailer. The controller is configured to monitor the security status of the trailer and to determine a security risk at the trailer based, at least in part, on the received data.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for monitoring a person. The apparatus is configured for identifying one or more undesirable conditions, by analyzing data from a sensor unit associated with the person's bed, the data being indicative of the person's presence in or absence from the bed. Upon identification of at least one undesirable condition, the apparatus emits a local alarm and transmits an alert signal to a remote apparatus, which is configured for notifying one or more responders about the undesirable condition. If one or more responders responds to the notification, or if the apparatus is reset locally, the local alarm is stopped.

Abstract: An emergency alert assembly includes a base unit that may be positioned within a control room of a maritime vessel. A base control circuit is positioned within the base unit. A plurality of actuators, a base transceiver, a display, a gps and an alarm are coupled to the base unit and the base control circuit. The base transceiver may be in electromagnetic communication with an external communications network. The base transceiver selectively initiates an alarm sequence when an individual falls overboard. The gps marks the coordinates of the maritime vessel when the base transceiver initiates the alarm sequence. The alarm emits an audible alert when the base transceiver initiates the alarm sequence. A power supply is coupled to the base unit and the base control circuit. A detection network monitors a perimeter of the maritime vessel. The detection network detects when the individual falls overboard.

Abstract: Systems and methods to detect and warn proximate entities of interest are described herein. An example method for assessing a possibility of a collision between entities of interest, each having their own characteristics of movement, includes sampling movement of each entity at least two points in time, generating a trajectory vector for each entity based on the movement sampling, expanding the trajectory vector of each entity based on at least one characteristic of movement of that entity, and analyzing the expanded trajectory vector of each entity for overlap to assess a possibility of a collision between the entities of interest.

Abstract: Systems and methods to detect and warn proximate entities of interest are described herein. An example detection system includes a light source attachable to a forktruck, where the light source projects an illuminated warning field on a floor on which the forktruck is to traverse. The light source projects the illuminated warning field at a distance from a front end of the forktruck. The light source is separate from a headlight of the forktruck.

Abstract: A home appliance includes a tactile signal generator and a controller. The tactile signal generator has a first function which allows the home appliance to perform a predetermined function and a second function to generate a tactile signal. The controller determines whether an event is generated and controls the generation of the tactile signal generated by the tactile signal generator upon determination that the event is generated.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to prediction of traffic dynamics. A descriptive model is provided that uses historical probe data to create “tidal-like” patterns for the usual dynamics on the road network and creates a framework for taking a future time, e.g. in terms of month, day, time, and suggesting a typical speed for the specified road network link at that specific time. With this model, better predictions for estimated time of arrival will be derived. As opposed to blindly extrapolating from a static model, the disclosed embodiments dynamically adapt to current conditions using real time data to adapt, based on current conditions, the model from which a predicted speed may be determined.

Abstract: An acoustic glass breakage detector including a pulsating current-powered microphone and operable for generating pulsed signal data corresponding to sound waves detected thereby, a sample and hold circuit operable for converting the pulsed signal data into a voltage level signal and storing the voltage level signal, a sound frequency band pass amplifier operable for ascertaining whether the voltage level signal corresponds to an explosion-like sound typical of an initial glass-breakage sound, a flex wave band pass amplifier operable for ascertaining whether the voltage level signal corresponds to a flex wave typical of an initial glass-breakage sound, and circuitry operable, responsive to ascertaining that the voltage level signal corresponds to an explosion-like sound typical of an initial glass-breakage event and that the voltage level signal corresponds to a flex wave typical of an initial glass-breakage sound, for ascertaining that the pulsed signal data is indicative of a glass-breakage event.

Abstract: According to at least one embodiment, a computer-implemented method to communicate refuse reminders to a user of an automation system is disclosed. A proximity of at least one refuse bin to a base station may be detected at a predetermined time period prior to the refuse removal day using one or more sensors. The user may be alerted to move the at least one refuse bin to a removal location based at least in part on the detecting. In some embodiments, the refuse removal scheduled may be linked with the automation system, wherein the refuse removal schedule may comprise a schedule of refuse pick-up days for a first category of refuse.

Abstract: An altitude of the vehicle from an external electronic source and an external temperature is received from a temperature sensor are received. An external relative humidity is determined. Based upon the altitude, the temperature, and the external relative humidity, an estimated barometric pressure is determined. An air pressure of a tire is received. An adjustment is made to the received pressure to obtain a corrected pressure. The amount of adjustment is based upon the estimated barometric pressure and the adjustment is applied to the air pressure to obtain a corrected tire pressure. An evaluation is made of the corrected tire pressure to determine when an alert should be presented to a user. When the alert is determined, the alert to the user is presented to the user.

Abstract: Intersection guide systems, methods, and programs acquire a degree of approach of a vehicle to an intersection ahead of a vehicle and display a guide image at a position of the intersection superimposed on a forward scene ahead of the vehicle. The systems, methods, and programs set, as a position of superimposition of the guide image, an intersection position within the forward scene when the degree of approach is less than a threshold. The intersection position corresponds to a registered position registered in map information as the position of the intersection. The systems, methods, and programs set, as the position of superimposition, a straight-line position within the forward scene when the degree of approach is equal to or more than the threshold. The straight-line position corresponds to a position on a straight-ahead line that is a straight line extending in a travel direction of the vehicle from the vehicle.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a non-transitory computer readable medium for monitoring a cargo container are presented. Data items are received by a monitoring system from one or more monitoring devices via a communications network. The monitoring devices are affixed to the cargo container and the monitoring system is located separate from the cargo container. The data items are monitored by the monitoring system to determine if an alert condition exists. An alert is generated by the monitoring system if the alert condition exists.

Abstract: An environmental monitoring system that processes at least one report from at least one environmental sensor in the environment. The system comprises a computing device configured to compute, based on values of physical properties of a simulated object and the at least one report, a simulated condition of the simulated object within the environment. The computing device is also configured to compare the simulated condition to a criterion. The computing device is further configured to selectively output an indication of an alarm condition based on the comparing. The computing device may also be configured to receive through a user interface an input of the values of the physical properties of the simulated object. The environment may be managed by a user, and the computing device may be further configured to associate input with an account based on credentials issued to a user for the account. A method for operating the computing device.

Abstract: An emergency vehicle control system with functional warning units for use in an emergency vehicle provide active visual and audible alerts. The functional warning unit includes a set of alert devices, each alert device having at least one functional connection and a remote controller, connected to the set of alert devices and configured to receive an encoded message on a single data line from a central controller. The remote controller is configured to decode the encoded message to a set of desired states for each of the set of alert devices. The remote controller is configured to control the set of alert devices, by way of the at least one functional connection, according to the respective desired state of each of the set of alert devices.