Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for detecting full waste canister and/or fluid flow path blockage conditions are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods and apparatuses for controlling a pump. In some embodiments, flow of fluid can be restricted in a portion of the fluid flow path. A controller can be configured to compare a difference in pressure values upstream and downstream of a fluid flow restrictor to a pressure difference threshold, and determine based on the comparison whether to activate an alarm indicating the full waste canister condition or the fluid flow path blockage condition. The controller can be additionally or alternatively configured to determine a fluid flow using a flow meter, open a selectable valve in response to a comparison of the fluid flow with a fluid flow threshold, determine fluid flow after opening the valve, and determine based on the fluid flow after opening the valve whether to activate the alarm.

Abstract: A cooling tower system includes a gas-liquid contactor having a housing coupled to a plurality of structural members. The system includes one or more basins positioned within the housing, and the one or more basins include a bottom basin. The system includes one or more packing sections positioned at least partially above the bottom basin, a fan operable to circulate a gas through the one or more packing sections, and a liquid distribution system configured to flow a solution onto the one or more packing sections, wherein the gas-liquid contactor comprises one or more materials of construction (MOCs). The plurality of structural members define a plenum comprising a containment that is at least partially segregated from the bottom basin by one or more walls, the bottom basin positioned at least partially below the packing.

Abstract: A system includes a computer processor, a computer memory, and a user interface. The system receives a plurality of tasks, data relating to conditions and environments associated with the plurality of tasks, and a plurality of goals relating to planning and scheduling of the plurality of tasks. The goals are received from a plurality of sources, and the goals are addressed as a function of the conditions and environments. The system displays on the user interface, as a function of the plurality of goals, an analytical view of the conditions and environments relating to the plurality of tasks and an analytical view of a status of the plurality of tasks.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for detecting full waste canister and/or fluid flow path blockage conditions are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods and apparatuses for controlling a pump. In some embodiments, flow of fluid can be restricted in a portion of the fluid flow path. A controller can be configured to compare a difference in pressure values upstream and downstream of a fluid flow restrictor to a pressure difference threshold, and determine based on the comparison whether to activate an alarm indicating the full waste canister condition or the fluid flow path blockage condition. The controller can be additionally or alternatively configured to determine a fluid flow using a flow meter, open a selectable valve in response to a comparison of the fluid flow with a fluid flow threshold, determine fluid flow after opening the valve, and determine based on the fluid flow after opening the valve whether to activate the alarm.

Abstract: A treatment system, including a conveyor bed configured to transport a plurality of products; a brushing device located along the conveyor bed and having one or more brushes that include a first antimicrobial compound; a surface treatment device including a lamp configured to emit light of a peak wavelength directed toward a portion of the conveyor bed; and a coating device configured to deliver a coating mixture onto the plurality of products on the conveyor bed.

Abstract: The disclosed technology provides for determining infection in food items using image data of the food items under ultra-violet (UV) light. A method includes performing object detection on the image data to identify a bounding box around each of the food items in the image data, determining, for each food item, an infection presence metric by applying a model to the bounding box, the model being trained using image training data of other food items under UV light, the image training data being annotated based on previous identifications of a first portion of the other food items having infection features and a second portion having healthy quality features, and determining, based on a determination that the infection presence metric for each of the food items indicates presence of an infection, an infection coverage metric for the food item.

Abstract: A power tool may include a compartment in its housing and a first printed circuit board (PCB) located in the housing and electrically coupled to a first connector. An insertable wireless communication device may include a second electronic processor and an antenna that are each mounted to a second PCB. The insertable wireless communication device may be configured to be received in the compartment and may include a second connector configured to electrically and physically couple to the first connector. The insertable wireless communication device may be configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device. When the insertable wireless communication device is inserted into the compartment, a first conductive layer of the first PCB may be configured to be electrically coupled to the antenna via the first connector and the second connector such that the first conductive layer of the first PCB serves as a ground plane of the antenna.

Abstract: A power tool may include a compartment in its housing and a first printed circuit board (PCB) located in the housing and electrically coupled to a first connector. An insertable wireless communication device may include a second electronic processor and an antenna that are each mounted to a second PCB. The insertable wireless communication device may be configured to be received in the compartment and may include a second connector configured to electrically and physically couple to the first connector. The insertable wireless communication device may be configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device. When the insertable wireless communication device is inserted into the compartment, a first conductive layer of the first PCB may be configured to be electrically coupled to the antenna via the first connector and the second connector such that the first conductive layer of the first PCB serves as a ground plane of the antenna.

Abstract: The disclosed technology provides for determining infection in food items using image data of the food items under ultra-violet (UV) light. A method includes performing object detection on the image data to identify a bounding box around each of the food items in the image data, determining, for each food item, an infection presence metric by applying a model to the bounding box, the model being trained using image training data of other food items under UV light, the image training data being annotated based on previous identifications of a first portion of the other food items having infection features and a second portion having healthy quality features, and determining, based on a determination that the infection presence metric for each of the food items indicates presence of an infection, an infection coverage metric for the food item.

Abstract: A treatment system, including a conveyor bed configured to transport a plurality of products; a brushing device located along the conveyor bed and having one or more brushes that include a first antimicrobial compound; a surface treatment device including a lamp configured to emit light of a peak wavelength directed toward a portion of the conveyor bed; and a coating device configured to deliver a coating mixture onto the plurality of products on the conveyor bed.

Abstract: The disclosed technology provides for determining infection in food items using image data of the food items under ultra-violet (UV) light. A method includes performing object detection on the image data to identify a bounding box around each of the food items in the image data, determining, for each food item, an infection presence metric by applying a model to the bounding box, the model being trained using image training data of other food items under UV light, the image training data being annotated based on previous identifications of a first portion of the other food items having infection features and a second portion having healthy quality features, and determining, based on a determination that the infection presence metric for each of the food items indicates presence of an infection, an infection coverage metric for the food item.

Abstract: A produce treatment method to mitigate latent infections, such as fungal infections, and to delay ripening in produce is described. The produce treatment method includes providing an antimicrobial agent to an enclosure comprising a plurality of produce items, and contacting the plurality of produce items with the antimicrobial agent, wherein the antimicrobial agent is in gaseous form and is selected to deactivate latent microbes in the plurality of produce items.

Abstract: A power tool may include a compartment in its housing and a first printed circuit board (PCB) located in the housing and electrically coupled to a first connector. An insertable wireless communication device may include a second electronic processor and an antenna that are each mounted to a second PCB. The insertable wireless communication device may be configured to be received in the compartment and may include a second connector configured to electrically and physically couple to the first connector. The insertable wireless communication device may be configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device. When the insertable wireless communication device is inserted into the compartment, a first conductive layer of the first PCB may be configured to be electrically coupled to the antenna via the first connector and the second connector such that the first conductive layer of the first PCB serves as a ground plane of the antenna.

Abstract: An acoustic mount is described for damping vibrations between a primary structure of a building and a secondary structure of a building and which has a vibration damper interposed in use between the primary and secondary structures. The vibration damper is resiliently compressible in the axial direction and has at least one resiliently compressible damper element which is elongated in the axial direction so that the axial length of the damper element is greater than half of a transverse width thereof. The damper element reduces in cross sectional area in the axial direction; has a convex outer surface in planes containing the axial direction; and possesses non-linear axial deflection or compression characteristics under a range of static loading conditions enabling effective vibration damping or vibration isolation for a substantial range of loadings of the acoustic mount in use.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for determining status of a canister of a topical negative pressure (TNP) system. The method includes the steps of monitoring pressure provided by a pump element of the TNP system, determining at least one characteristic associated with the monitored pressure and determining status of at least one parameter associated with a canister of the TNP system responsive to the determined characteristics.

Abstract: Provided herein are compositions comprising one or more antimicrobial microorganism and methods of use thereof for inhibiting spoilage of agricultural products.

Abstract: A method for transaction handoff includes: registering a payment instrument with a server, associating the payment instrument with indirect tokens, and storing a payment token that associates the indirect tokens with the payment instrument and a device identifier in a database record; via a device, receiving an indirect token from the server; via a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, entering the indirect token, and transmitting indirect token via the internet cloud to the server; via the server, using the payment token to access the device identifier and transmitting a push notification; upon acceptance of the push notification, executing an application on the device and simultaneously displaying transaction details on both the device and POS terminal; receiving completion data that is entered via the device and transmitting the completion data to the server; and completing the transaction at the server and notifying the POS terminal and the device that the transaction is complete.

Abstract: A method for handoff includes: scanning an ephemeral token displayed on a guest device, where a guest has previously registered a payment instrument with a server, and associated the payment instrument with a plurality of ephemeral tokens, and the server has stored a payment token that associates the plurality of ephemeral tokens with the payment instrument in a database record along with a notification identifier, and where the guest device has received the ephemeral token; transmitting the ephemeral token to the server; simultaneously displaying details for a transaction, where the server has accessed the notification identifier to transmit a push notification to the guest device, and where the guest device is executing a proprietary application that allows for simultaneously displaying details for the transaction; and receiving notification from the server that the transaction is complete, where transaction completion data was entered via the guest device and transmitted to the server.