Abstract: A handheld wireless microphone has improved resilience against intermittent dropouts due to the placement of hands on the body of the handheld wireless microphone. A robust, dipole RF antenna is provided in the body of the handheld microphone. One antenna element is a conductive cone or truncated cone at the bottom of the microphone body, which is surrounded by a conductive cup and an insulated gap layer to form a capacitive coupling configuration that mitigates interference of RF radiation by human flesh. The other antenna element is conductive and serves as the frame of the microphone body.

Abstract: A work machine using a direct current power system that isolates reactive loads is described herein. The work machine uses a machine power distribution unit that receives direct current power from two or more battery banks of a power unit, whereby each of the battery banks deliver electrical power on a separate direct current bus. A machine power distribution unit of the work machine receives the electrical power from the battery and is used to isolate the power using bus connectors. One of the battery banks provides power to one direct current bus of the work machine and another battery bank provides power to another direct current bus of the work machine. A reactive load serviced by one of the battery banks is electrically disconnected from another reactive load serviced by the other battery bank.

Abstract: The electric vehicle that may comprise an electrical power system that includes a first DC link; a first swappable battery in electrical communication with the first DC link, and a second swappable battery substantially the same as the first swappable battery. The first swappable battery is configured to provide power to the electric vehicle during normal operation of the electric vehicle and to at least a first operation of the electric vehicle while the second swappable battery is removed from the electric vehicle and replaced. The second swappable battery is substantially the same as the first swappable battery and disposed on the electric vehicle, the second swappable battery configured to provide power to the electric vehicle during normal operation of the electric vehicle and to at least a second operation of the electrical vehicle while the first swappable battery is removed from the electric vehicle.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed for synchronizing map updates for a navigating autonomous vehicle. A management service on a managing node can receive an update to a portion of a first map, where a limited visibility map, which is a subset of the first map, can be determined based on a geographical area around an autonomous vehicle navigating a route. The limited visibility map can be synchronized among all the nodes while the autonomous vehicle is using the limited visibility map by the management service delivering, to a plurality of downstream nodes, the update to the limited visibility map when the update does not modify a portion of the limited visibility map, and by bypassing, to the plurality of downstream nodes, the update to the limited visibility map when the update modifies a portion of the limited visibility map.

Abstract: Systems and techniques are provided for using different planners for autonomous driving. An example method can include determining, based on sensor data from one or more sensors of an autonomous vehicle (AV), a maneuver to be performed by the AV according to one or more parameters that deviate from one or more restrictions of a first planner being used by the AV to navigate a scene; identifying a second planner of the AV that supports the one or more parameters that deviate from the one or more restrictions of the first planner; determining a state of the AV selected to trigger a switch from the first planner to the second planner; maneuvering the AV using the first planner until the state of the AV is satisfied; and in response to determining that the state of the AV is satisfied, autonomously switching from the first planner to the second planner.

Abstract: A biopsy device includes a body, a needle, a cutter, an analysis area, a valve, and a tissue sample holder. The cutter is movable relative to the needle and in communication with the needle for transporting tissue samples. The analysis area is disposed proximally of the cutter and in communication with the needle to receive a tissue sample cut by the cutter for analysis by a user. The valve is disposed proximally of the analysis area and configured to alternate between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The tissue sample holder is disposed proximally of the valve and fixedly attached to the body. The valve is configured to permit analysis of the sample disposed in the analysis area when the valve is in the closed configuration and to permit the tissue sample to be passed into the tissue sample holder when the valve is in the open configuration configuration.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject technology relate to systems, methods, and computer-readable media for validating a test associated with operation of an autonomous vehicle (AV). Road data generated in association with operation of an AV in a real-world environment is accessed. A simulation environment for running a software stack associated with controlling the AV is generated based on the road data. A portion of the software stack is modified and the modified software stack is run as part of a test using sensor data included as part of the road data. The test of the modified software stack is validated based on the running of the modified software stack in the simulation environment in relation to operation of the AV in the real-world environment.

Abstract: Autonomous vehicles may encounter situations prompting the autonomous vehicle to execute a stopping maneuver, or receive user input from a passenger of the autonomous vehicle that may cause the autonomous vehicle to execute a stopping maneuver (that is not part of nominal planning of the present mission of the autonomous vehicle). In some cases, the autonomous vehicle's mission may be interrupted. Such situations and user input may be diverse. Also, there may be many kinds of stopping maneuvers that the autonomous vehicle can execute in response to the situation or user input. Monitoring for the situations and user input, managing mission interruptions, and performing continuation of a mission can be non-trivial tasks to perform gracefully and effectively.

Abstract: Autonomous vehicles may have different specialized primary planners in the vehicle planning stack that each can generate a plan for the vehicle control stack. For instance, one primary planner may be used for the vehicle to drive forward, and another primary planner may be used for the vehicle to drive in reverse. Additionally, a fallback planner may be implemented to allow the autonomous vehicle to drive in a degraded state. A unified interface is provided between the planning stack and the control stack to manage communications between the different planners in the planning stack and the control stack.

Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to techniques for real-time lane validation. A process of the disclosed technologies can include steps for receiving a route from a remote computing system, the route indicating lanes on the route that an autonomous vehicle must traverse, traversing at least one lane of the lanes on the route, and sending sensor data to the remote computing system after traversing the at least one lane, the sensor data indicating whether the at least one lane is in accordance with a virtual lane of a virtual map, the virtual lane corresponding to the at least one lane.

Abstract: A biopsy device includes a body, a needle, a cutter, an analysis area, a valve, and a tissue sample holder. The cutter is movable relative to the needle and in communication with the needle for transporting tissue samples. The analysis area is disposed proximally of the cutter and in communication with the needle to receive a tissue sample cut by the cutter for analysis by a user. The valve is disposed proximally of the analysis area and configured to alternate between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The tissue sample holder is disposed proximally of the valve and fixedly attached to the body. The valve is configured to permit analysis of the sample disposed in the analysis area when the valve is in the closed configuration and to permit the tissue sample to be passed into the tissue sample holder when the valve is in the open configuration.

Abstract: A battery pack includes a housing having an engaging member, a terminal assembly coupled to the housing, a plurality of cells configured to electrically connect to the terminal assembly, and a cell carrier coupled to the housing and supporting the plurality of cells in the housing. The cell carrier includes a connection member. The connection member and the engaging member cooperate to couple the cell carrier to the housing.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system produces 3D images by scanning a target volume with a mechanical probe, which scans the target volume by sweeping the scan plane of an array transducer through the target volume in an elevation direction. The array transducer has two selectable focal depths, and a plurality of scan planes of image data are acquired with a far field focus, and a plurality of scan planes of image data are acquired with a near field focus. The scan planes acquired with the far field focus are separated in the elevation direction by a distance which satisfies a spatial sampling criterion in the far field, and the scan planes acquired with the near field focus are separated in the elevation direction by a distance which satisfies the spatial sampling criterion in the near field, resulting in fewer scan plane acquisitions with the near field focus that the number of scan plane acquisitions with far field focus and hence an improved volume rate of display.

Abstract: A method is described and includes detecting by a vehicle an ambiguous situation involving the vehicle; classifying the detected ambiguous situation; and submitting in substantially real-time a request for remote assistance by a remote advisor to resolve the detected ambiguous situation, wherein contents of the request are based at least in part on the classifying.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed for synchronizing map updates for a navigating autonomous vehicle. A management service on a managing node can receive an update to a portion of a first map, where a limited visibility map, which is a subset of the first map, can be determined based on a geographical area around an autonomous vehicle navigating a route. The limited visibility map can be synchronized among all the nodes while the autonomous vehicle is using the limited visibility map by the management service delivering, to a plurality of downstream nodes, the update to the limited visibility map when the update does not modify a portion of the limited visibility map, and by bypassing, to the plurality of downstream nodes, the update to the limited visibility map when the update modifies a portion of the limited visibility map.

Abstract: A method and system to leverage non-virtual (or meta world) actions via a gaming analog or infrastructure to encourage actions in said non-virtual environment to achieve virtual or meta world benefits an interface interacts with Gameco servers; Gameco servers provide participant opportunities to acquire virtual world benefits by physical actions such as visiting specific geographic locations or areas within locations and, participant is provided a virtual reward by Gameco.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for specifying goals and behavioral parameters for planning systems of autonomous vehicles. In some aspects, a method includes receiving, by a mission manager in an autonomous vehicle (AV), a mission from an input source of the AV, the mission comprising a request for a task that the AV is to fulfill; deconflicting the mission with one or more other missions of the AV to generate a ranked list of missions; selecting a target mission from the ranked list of missions in accordance with priorities corresponding to each mission in the ranked list of missions; generating one or more scenarios based on the target mission, the one or more scenarios comprising encoded representations of local and geometric terms to cause the target mission to be fulfilled by the AV; and dispatching the one or more scenarios to a planner layer of the AV.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed for synchronizing map updates for a navigating autonomous vehicle. A management service on a managing node can receive an update to a portion of a first map, where a limited visibility map, which is a subset of the first map, can be determined based on a geographical area around an autonomous vehicle navigating a route. The limited visibility map can be synchronized among all the nodes while the autonomous vehicle is using the limited visibility map by the management service delivering, to a plurality of downstream nodes, the update to the limited visibility map when the update does not modify a portion of the limited visibility map, and by bypassing, to the plurality of downstream nodes, the update to the limited visibility map when the update modifies a portion of the limited visibility map.

Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to techniques for real-time lane validation. A process of the disclosed technologies can include steps for receiving a route from a remote computing system, the route indicating lanes on the route that an autonomous vehicle must traverse, traversing at least one lane of the lanes on the route, and sending sensor data to the remote computing system after traversing the at least one lane, the sensor data indicating whether the at least one lane is in accordance with a virtual lane of a virtual map, the virtual lane corresponding to the at least one lane.