Abstract: A locker bank system for expanding the capacity of a fixed locker bank having monitors when the number of available lockers drops below a predefined threshold capacity at the fixed locker bank. In response to this trigger, a mobile locker bank is automatically routed to the fixed locker bank to increase a number of available lockers at the location. A computing system at the fixed locker bank and the mobile locker bank are adapted to control access to the fixed and mobile locker bank lockers. Each locker bank further includes a communication system that is adapted to facilitate direct or indirect communication between the fixed locker bank computing system and the mobile locker bank computing system when the mobile locker bank is positioned adjacent the location of the fixed locker bank. Together the fixed locker bank and the mobile locker bank may function as a unitary locker bank.

Abstract: Techniques for suggesting accessory devices controlled by an application executing on a mobile device are disclosed. A method includes measuring one or more sensor values to determine a data point at each of a plurality of first times, associating an accessory device with each of the data points, clustering the data points within a threshold distance of each other to create a plurality of clusters. The method also includes, after clustering the data points, measuring one or more sensor values to determine one or more current data points at a second time, determining that one or more current data points at the second time corresponds to a first cluster of the plurality of clusters, identifying a first accessory device associated with one or more of the data points in the first cluster, and providing a message using the application.

Abstract: An electricity generation system using tire deformation comprises driving mechanisms converting deformation of a tire into a driving force; and an electricity generation mechanism generating electricity using the driving force converted by the driving mechanisms, wherein the driving mechanisms convert only deformation due to expansion after compression of the tire into the driving force.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for data center cooling by vaporizing fuel using data center waste heat. The systems include, for instance, an electricity-generating assembly, a liquid fuel storage, and a heat transfer system. The electricity-generating assembly generates electricity from a fuel vapor for supply to the data center. The liquid fuel storage is coupled to supply the fuel vapor, and the heat transfer system is associated with the data center and the liquid fuel storage. In an operational mode, the heat transfer system transfers the data center waste heat to the liquid fuel storage to facilitate vaporization of liquid fuel to produce the fuel vapor for supply to the electricity-generating assembly. The system may be implemented with the liquid fuel storage and heat transfer system being the primary fuel vapor source, or a back-up fuel vapor source.

Abstract: The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for authenticating users. In one aspect, a method includes (1) determining an operating state of a heat source; (2) determining an occupancy of a dwelling that includes the heat source; (3) determining whether a heat-source alert condition is met; (4) in accordance with a determination that the heat-source alert condition is met, generating a heat-source alert; (5) receiving from a user acknowledgement of the heat-source alert, the acknowledgement including a first classification for the heat-source alert; and (6) determining that the acknowledgement includes the first classification for the heat-source alert; and (7) in accordance with the determination that the acknowledgement includes the first classification, modifying the heat-source alert condition for future heat-source alerts.

Abstract: A railroad powered energy recovery system and method comprising a plurality of air compressor units, a plurality of pipelines, at least one check valve, an air filter, a motor-generator set, at least one pressure regulator valve, a first storage means, a second storage means and a booster amplifier, wherein the plurality of pipelines is configured to connect each of the plurality of air compressor units attached to an inner side of each of the rails of an existing railroad system. The plurality of air compressor units produces compressed air when a train traverses over them. The at least one check valve is configured to assure consistent direction of air flow through the plurality of pipelines. The motor-generator set converts compressed air into electricity and the remaining compressed air is stored in the first storage means. The second storage means stores highly compressed air produced from the booster amplifier.

Abstract: A physiological monitoring system includes a near-end portable monitoring module for generating first sensed data, capturing a user's first image, an image sensing module for synchronizing the first sensed data and the first image to form first combination data, and searching and connecting the corresponding near-end portable monitoring module to receive the first sensed data and display the near-end information display module corresponding to the screen of the first combination data, when the first sensed data includes a warning signal, the first combination data is transmitted and stored in the Internet by the second communication unit within a time period from a first time before the warning signal is issued to a second time for releasing the warning signal, and the first combination data within the time period from the first time to the second time is transmitted to the near-end information display module to display the first combination data.

Abstract: A fluid energy harvester, including a housing having at least one port and an outlet, and the housing defining at least one fluid passageway therein. The fluid energy harvester also includes a converter disposed within the housing and configured to convert at least a portion of potential energy in an exhaust fluid, a generator operably coupled to the converter and configured to generate an electrical current from the converter, a charging controller electrically coupled to the generator, and a storage medium electrically coupled to the generator and configured to store the electrical current generated by the generator. The fluid energy harvester further includes a nozzle configured to control a flow of the exhaust fluid.

Abstract: An active converter connected to an electric machine, including arresting circuits to activate a voltage arresting function from a first point-in-time, and which is configured to only activate a load dump reaction upon activation conditions from a second point-in-time, the activation conditions include that it is determined that at the second point-in-time, a supply-side voltage potential applied to an exciter winding of the electric machine is between the voltage potential applied at the first DC voltage terminal and a ground potential, if the exciter winding is disconnected from the voltage potential of the vehicle electrical system voltage and/or a current flowing through the exciter winding is below a current threshold value and/or after an initial activation of a load dump reaction, after which further load dump reactions were activated, more than a predefined period of time has elapsed and/or more than a predefined number of load dump reactions were activated.

Abstract: A rear-road surface illumination apparatus is provided which includes: an avoidance determiner 30 to determine whether to provide a display to induce a following vehicle to avoid a vehicle, on the basis of vehicle information; and a controller 9 to cause an illumination light 10 to illuminate a rear road surface with light having illumination information that induces the following vehicle to avoid the vehicle when the avoidance determiner 30 determines to provide a display to induce the following vehicle to avoid the vehicle. Therefore, the rear-road surface illumination apparatus can indicate the existence of the vehicle to the following vehicle, to give the existence of the vehicle prominence, and can also make it easy to notify the driver of the following vehicle about what the driver of the vehicle desires the driver of the following vehicle to do.

Abstract: Example methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture (e.g., physical storage media) to implement people metering enhanced with light projection prompting for audience measurement are disclosed. Example metering methods disclosed herein include determining whether a meter is to enter a first prompting mode. Disclosed example metering methods also include, in response to determining the meter is to enter the first prompting mode, activating a light projector to project light onto an external surface of a display screen of a media device. Disclosed example metering methods further include, after the light projector is activated, deactivating the light projector in response to determining the meter is to exit the first prompting mode.

Abstract: An energy conversion system includes a stationary structure and a rotatable structure configured to rotate relative to the stationary structure. The system includes at least one blade member mounted to and extending radially outward from the rotatable structure. The blade member is configured to interact with fluid currents to cause the rotatable structure to rotate about an axis of rotation. The system includes a first magnetic bearing component disposed on the rotatable structure and a second magnetic bearing component disposed on the stationary structure. The magnetic bearing components have an aligned position in which the components are axially aligned along the axis of rotation with respect to each other. Axial displacement of the magnetic bearing components from the aligned position generates a magnetic field between the components that provides an axially-directed restoring force between the rotatable structure and the stationary structure to reposition the components to the aligned position.

Abstract: A dual or progressive access level security system and method is disclosed. The system receives or acquires one or more initial access identifiers of the user via an identity reader. In examples, the identity reader is a biometric scanner such as a fingerprint scanner that reads a fingerprint, or an antenna such as a Near Field Communication (NFC) antenna that reads an initial access identifier from a tag within a user device such as a fob or mobile phone or a Bluetooth identifier from the user's mobile computing device. In response to validation of the initial access identifier, the system presents virtual keys for the user to enter an access code. In embodiments, the virtual keys are included within a touchscreen and within a virtual projected keyboard presented by the security system. The security system grants access to the user in response to validation of the access code.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to wearable articles, including wearable suits, etc., for providing haptic feedback to a user. The wearable articles suitably include adjustable interaction elements that can be fluidly connected to a liquid or gas supply, and can also include a haptic actuator. The wearable articles are useful in combination with various devices, including gaming systems and virtual or augmented reality systems.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method are provided for detecting purposeful energy diversion in a smart grid network. A transformer monitoring device is configured to measure the amount of electricity supplied by a transformer to a plurality of structures and electric meters are configured to measure electricity usage at each of the plurality of structures. The electric meters transmit signaling containing information regarding measured electricity usage to the transformer monitoring device and the transformer monitoring device transmits signaling to a cloud-based server containing information regarding the amount of electricity supplied by the transformer to the plurality of structures and the measured electricity usage. The cloud-based server is configured to determine based on the received signaling if energy diversion is occurring in the smart grid network.

Abstract: An intelligent electronic device (IED) is provided. The IED includes a metering sub-assembly and an input base module sub-assembly. The metering sub-assembly is hinged to the input base module sub-assembly, where when in an open position, various cables, connectors, and input/output cards/modules are accessible. Various input/output cards/modules are interchangeable to add/change functionality and/or communication capabilities to the IED. In one embodiment, a communication card is provided with at least one antenna disposed internal or external to a housing of the IED.

Abstract: To validate a user's identity a network validation server receives a smartphone image of a preexisting user credential, including both a user biometric and a unique identifier associated with the credential and stores them in a database. The validation server also receives the unique identifier from a registrar network device seeking to validate the user, and in response transmits a validation code to the user's smartphone for display by the user's smartphone and/or the registrar's network device for display by the registrar's network device. The validation server additionally receives confirmation from the registrar's network device that a validation code displayed on the user's smartphone is the transmitted validation, thereby confirming that the user has been validated by the registrar.

Abstract: An anti-theft system includes at least one MEMS module, a master controlling module and an alerting module. The MEMS module is used for detecting a velocity, an acceleration and/or a spatial location of the MEMS module, and transferring the detected velocity, the acceleration or the spatial location of the MEMS module to the master controlling module. The master controlling module is used for determining whether the MEMS module is disposed within an anti-theft range according to the velocity, the acceleration or the spatial location of the MEMS module, and sending an alerting signal to the alerting module once the MEMS module is determined to be disposed outside of the anti-theft range. The alerting module is used for performing an alerting action when receiving the alerting signal. An anti-theft device and an anti-theft method are also provided.

Abstract: A trailer angle detection system for a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a rear portion of the vehicle and viewing rearward of the vehicle. A plurality of ultrasonic sensors is disposed at the rear portion of the vehicle and sense rearward of the vehicle. A control has at least one processor operable to process image data captured by the camera. Responsive to processing of image data captured by the camera, the control detects a trailer rearward of the vehicle and in the field of view of the camera. The at least one processor is operable to process sensor data captured by the ultrasonic sensors to determine a distance to portions of the trailer rearward of the vehicle. Responsive to processing of captured image data and processing of captured sensor data, the trailer angle detection system is operable to determine an angle of the trailer relative to the vehicle.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include a bladeless generator carried by drilling string and disposed to employ mud flow through the drill string or return flow along the exterior of the drill string to drive the bladeless generator utilizing the boundary layer effect of fluid flow across a plurality of disks to generate electricity. The bladeless generator can be spaced apart from the primary flow path so as not to significantly disrupt flow therethrough. A portion of the primary flow path is diverted with flow channels or apertures to direct the diverted portion of the flow tangentially across a portion of the edges of the disks. The bladeless generator can be utilized to power electric downhole equipment, such as monitoring equipment or directional drilling steering equipment.