Abstract: A method and apparatus for collecting DNA samples from uncooperative suspects are provided. A modified bathroom fixture, including a toilet with an empty reservoir tank and a missing handle on the water fill valve, retains excreted material in the toilet bowl, allowing for easy collection of DNA samples. In an alternate embodiment, the toilet's reservoir tank is full, and the water fill valve is in the on position, but the waste flush is diverted to a holding tank. This enables DNA technicians to collect samples from the excreted material for forensic analysis. The invention eliminates the need for costly and time-consuming stakeouts, provides a quick and reliable method for DNA sample collection, reduces the risk of contamination, and allows for immediate sample collection, advancing forensic DNA analysis.

Abstract: There is provided a sensor unit for a fastener assembly, the sensor unit comprising a mounting arranged to rigidly attach the sensor unit to, or adjacent to, a fastener assembly; and a sensor, that is an optical flow sensor or an inductive sensor, configured to sense movement of the fastener assembly. The sensor unit may comprise a processor arranged to process the output of the sensor to detect loosening of the fastener assembly and to output a signal representing the status of the fastener assembly. The sensor unit may comprise a wireless communication unit arranged to communicate the signal.

Abstract: An abnormality detection method detects abnormality of an assembled battery including energy storage devices by an abnormality detection device. Each energy storage device contains, as a positive active material, lithium iron phosphate and lithium transition metal oxide that allows insertion and extraction reaction of a lithium ion in a potential range higher than that of the lithium iron phosphate. A ratio of an amount of charge based on a total amount of the lithium transition metal oxide to an amount of charge based on a total amount of the positive active material in a charge-discharge range, in which the energy storage device is used, is 5% or more. The abnormality detection device acquires voltage of each of the energy storage devices near a charge end point in the charge-discharge range where the energy storage device is used and detects abnormality in the assembled battery using the acquired voltage of the energy storage devices.

Abstract: A battery diagnosis apparatus includes a voltage sensor to generate a voltage signal indicating a battery voltage of a battery, a current sensor to generate a current signal indicating a battery current of the battery and a control circuit. The control circuit determines a capacity curve indicating a relationship between the battery voltage and a charge capacity in a set voltage range based on the voltage signal and the current signal collected at each unit time for a constant current charging period. The control circuit determines a differential curve indicating a relationship between the battery voltage and a differential capacity in the set voltage range based on the capacity curve. The control circuit determines an approximate straight line of the differential curve using a linear approximation algorithm, and determines whether lithium deposition is present in the battery based on the approximate straight line.

Abstract: A method for calculating the change in percent voids between a reference location and a second location in a medium. The method includes obtaining a reference reflection coefficient of an electromagnetic wave reflection at the reference location, and a second reflection coefficient of an electromagnetic wave reflection at the second location. The obtained reflection coefficients are used to calculate a percent change in reflection coefficient. A reflection conversion factor correlating the change in the reflection coefficient to a change in percent voids in the medium is calculated and is used to calculate a change in percent voids between the reference and second locations based on the calculated percent change in reflection coefficients.

Abstract: SOH estimation unit (4613) estimates a state of health (SOH) of battery (E1, 41) based on measurement data of battery (E1, 41). Deterioration regression curve generation unit (4614) generates a deterioration regression curve of battery (E1, 41) by performing curve regression on a plurality of the SOHs specified in time series for battery (E1, 41). Rapid deterioration determination unit (4615) determines whether or not rapid deterioration has occurred in battery (E1, 41) based on a difference or a ratio between a deterioration coefficient of a deterioration regression curve of battery (E1, 41) generated based on the plurality of SOHs in a first data section and a deterioration coefficient of a deterioration regression curve of battery (E1, 41) generated based on the plurality of SOHs in a second data section.

Abstract: A random transient power test signal generator based on three-dimensional memristive discrete map, which utilizes a three-dimensional parallel bi-memristor Logistic map module to generate two pseudo-random sequences, and based on the two pseudo-random sequences, uses two waveform output modules to generate a transient voltage signal and a transient current signal respectively, thus the random transient power testing signal is obtained.

Abstract: A method for estimating a formation gas concentration while drilling includes making first gas concentration measurements in drilling fluid as the drilling fluid exits a wellbore or second gas concentration measurements in drilling fluid before the drilling fluid is pumped into the wellbore while drilling the wellbore. The first gas concentration measurements or the second gas concentration measurements may be evaluated with a model to estimate the formation gas concentration.

Abstract: A radar-based, fill-level measurement device for measuring a fill-level of a filling material in a container, the high-frequency unit of which can be checked with regard to its functionality, is designed redundantly and thus comprises two, activatable, high-frequency sources for generating the high-frequency signal and two, activatable receivers for sampling the received signal such that a time-prolonged evaluation signal is generated. As a result, a correspondingly designed diagnosis unit can switch between the active high-frequency source and/or between the active receiver, wherein before and after the switching, a defined property of the evaluation signal, such as a signal amplitude, is ascertained. If the defined property of the evaluation signal changes at least by a defined value as a result of the switching, the high-frequency unit is classified as not functional.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to at least one method for ascertaining at least one attribute of pressure vessel wall. A method comprises: while a pressure vessel, which comprises a wall having an outer surface and an inner surface, is operating: ascertaining a current wavelength shift of a first fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor disposed at a first outer surface location on the pressure vessel; and ascertaining a current thickness of the wall at the first outer surface location by: computing a vector based on a time series of the current wavelength shift, or a derivative of the time series, or a derivative of the current wavelength shift; providing the vector to a predetermined regression model; and using the regression model, ascertaining the current thickness of the wall.

Abstract: A photovoltaic string location update method and apparatus includes: obtaining, based on a physical map, a physical location of a first photovoltaic string corresponding to a first logical location in the physical map, the physical map indicating a correspondence between a logical location of a photovoltaic string and a physical location of the photovoltaic string, and the photovoltaic string includes the first photovoltaic string; and when the physical location of the first photovoltaic string in the physical map is different from a first actual physical location of the first photovoltaic string, updating the physical location of the photovoltaic string in the physical map to the first actual physical location, to obtain an updated physical map. The first actual physical location of the photovoltaic string is inconsistent with the physical location in the physical map, to prepare for subsequent operation and maintenance accurately performed on the photovoltaic string.

Abstract: A calculation method for measuring the flatness of cross-section of a tunnel segment, comprising: mounting laser displacement sensors on a thrust cylinder assembly plane of a tunnel boring machine, an emitting laser beam of each sensor being parallel to an axis of a cylinder, being perpendicular to the propulsion cylinder assembly plane, and pointing to the end surface of a segment ring to be tested; the intersection of the straight line where the laser of each laser displacement sensor is located and the propulsion cylinder assembly plane is referred to as a base point Pi; the intersection formed between the laser of each laser displacement sensor and said segment ring is referred to as a measurement point Pi?; the corresponding spatial coordinates of each base point are represented by Pi(xi,yi,zi); the corresponding spatial coordinates of each measurement point are represented by Pi?(xi?,yi?,zi?); a rear shield axis vector nrear shield=(xn,yn,zn).

Abstract: A system for monitoring plants, the system comprising: one or more sound collectors configured to receive and generate signals based on sounds that plants make; and a computer system configured to receive and process the signals to provide a profile of a plant producing the sounds.

Abstract: A fault detection system of eccentricity severity of an induction machine including a rotor and stator is provided. The fault detection system includes a sensor interface configured to acquire sensor signals from sensors arranged at predetermined positions of the induction machine, wherein the sensor signals are indicative of an eccentricity level of a rotor of the induction machine, a memory coupled with a processor. The memory stores training data sets and instructions implementing a learning-based fault detection method for the induction machine.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor includes a first conductive structure and a second conductive structure that form a first capacitor having a first capacitance that changes in response to an external force acting thereon and includes a MEMS output configured to output a first sense signal representative of the first capacitance; a second capacitor coupled to the MEMS output and configured to output a second sense signal based on the first sense signal; an amplifier comprising an amplifier input and configured to output an amplified signal based on the second sense signal; and a diagnostic circuit configured to receive two measurement signals, generate an offset measurement based on the two measurement signals, and detect a fault on a condition that the offset measurement is outside of a threshold range.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a net source rock thickness is disclosed. The method includes obtaining at least one well log, a first and second plurality of core samples from a wellbore, and for each of the first plurality determining a relative abundance of inorganic materials, and for each of the second plurality a set of organic material data. The method further includes determining a validated total organic content and a measured source rock thickness based on the organic material data and relative abundance of inorganic materials and determining a data and a prediction portion of the wellbore, based on the second plurality sample locations. The method still further includes determining a cut-off value for each well log, predicting a source rock thickness from the cut-off values and the net source rock thickness from a sum of the predicted and the measured source rock thicknesses.

Abstract: A bending sensor is provided that includes a piezoelectric element disposed on a bendable substrate; a voltage detection circuit that detects a voltage generated in the piezoelectric element; and an arithmetic unit that calculates an integrated value by integrating the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit and associates the integrated value with a bent state of the substrate. Moreover, the arithmetic unit calculates in advance a corrected integrated value obtained by correcting a maximum value of the integrated value with a decrease value resulting from a stress relieving effect, associates the corrected integrated value with a first bent state of the substrate, and normalizes a calculated integrated value based on the corrected integrated value.

Abstract: An integrated testing platform for power battery, electric drive system and electronic control system of an electric vehicle based on synchronized control of front and rear motors, including a first testing unit, a second testing unit, a third testing unit, a fourth testing unit and a wheelbase adjustment device. The first and second testing units are structurally identical, each including a first driving roller mechanism, a first driven roller mechanism, a first lifting device and a first motor. The third and fourth testing units are structurally identical, each including a second driving roller mechanism, a second driven roller mechanism, a second lifting device, a blocking device, a locking mechanism and a second motor. The wheelbase adjustment device is configured to adjust a distance between a base of the first motor and a frame assembly. The first motor and the second motor are synchronously controlled during testing.

Abstract: Example embodiments provide systems and methods for simulating a disease outbreak based on a limited number of input parameters. In one embodiment, a disease severity level is computed based on a relationship between leaf wetness duration and average temperature during a wetness period. The resulting model can be a physical, deterministic model that accepts hourly weather data as input and outputs the most significant severity event of disease infection during a specified period.

Abstract: An electrical power distribution system includes a plurality of circuit protection devices coupled between an electrical power source and a plurality of electrical loads. Each circuit protection device includes a trip unit, a network interface communicatively coupled to a communication network including the circuit protection devices, a processor, and a memory. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to store test operational parameters associated with the circuit protection device, receive a test message including test data representing an electrical condition in the electrical power distribution system, adjust the test operational parameters based on the test data to simulate a response of the trip unit to the electrical condition, generate circuit protection data based on the test data and the adjusted set of test operational parameters, and transmit the circuit protection data to at least one of the communication network and a remote access device.