Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a material extrusion device to extrude a filament of an ink are provided. An extrusion printing control system collects from one or more sensors measurements representing an internal state of material extrusion processing during extrusion of the filament. In addition, the system collects an image of the filament as the filament is extruded. The system applies a classifier to the collected image to generate an image-derived state characterizing the filament. Based on the internal state and the image-derived state, the system estimates a derived state using a model. The system determines control parameters using the model to achieve a desired quality of the filament by minimizing a cost function based on the internal state, the image-derived state, the derived state, and constraints of the material extrusion device. Finally, the system provides the control parameters to a controller of the material extrusion device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for developing recipes for concrete mixtures are disclosed. A method includes obtaining second input data including a second recipe for combining the plurality of ingredients; mixing the plurality of ingredients according to the second recipe to produce a second mixture; obtaining sensor data representing one or more qualities of the second mixture; evaluating the second mixture using the sensor data to obtain performance measures of the concrete mixture; processing the input data with the mixture prediction model to obtain a corresponding output of the mixture prediction model, the corresponding output including predicted performance measures for the second mixture; and adjusting parameters of the mixture prediction model based on comparing the output of the mixture prediction model to the performance measures of the second mixture.

Abstract: Light deflection prism for altering a field of view of a camera of a device comprising a surface with a camera aperture region defining an actual light entrance angular cone projecting from the surface. A method comprises disposing a first surface of a light deflection prism on the surface so as to overlap the angular cone; internally reflecting a central ray, entering the prism under a normal incidence angle through a second surface, at a third surface of the prism towards the first surface under a normal angle of incidence such that the central ray enters the prism at an angle of less than 90° relative to a normal of the device surface and such that a ray at one boundary of an effective light entrance angular cone defined as a result of the light reflection at the third surface is substantially parallel to the device surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating and porting a persistent virtual identity. Generating and porting a persistent virtual identity can include processing a 3D asset received from a source application, determining a plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset, comparing the plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset with a plurality of standards enforced by a destination application, configuring the plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset to correspond with the plurality of standards enforced by the destination application based on a determination that the plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset do not conform to the plurality of standards enforced by the destination application, and transferring the 3D asset to the destination application based on a determination that the plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset conform to the plurality of standards enforced by the destination application.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating and porting a persistent virtual identity. Generating and porting a persistent virtual identity can include processing a 3D asset received from a source application, determining a plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset, comparing the plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset with a plurality of standards enforced by a destination application, configuring the plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset to correspond with the plurality of standards enforced by the destination application based on a determination that the plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset do not conform to the plurality of standards enforced by the destination application, and transferring the 3D asset to the destination application based on a determination that the plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset conform to the plurality of standards enforced by the destination application.

Abstract: Light deflection prism for altering a field of view of a camera of a device comprising a surface with a camera aperture region defining an actual light entrance angular cone projecting from the surface. A method comprises disposing a first surface of a light deflection prism on the surface so as to overlap the angular cone; internally reflecting a central ray, entering the prism under a normal incidence angle through a second surface, at a third surface of the prism towards the first surface under a normal angle of incidence such that the central ray enters the prism at an angle of less than 90° relative to a normal of the device surface and such that a ray at one boundary of an effective light entrance angular cone defined as a result of the light reflection at the third surface is substantially parallel to the device surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a material extrusion device to extrude a filament of an ink are provided. An extrusion printing control system collects from one or more sensors measurements representing an internal state of material extrusion processing during extrusion of the filament. In addition, the system collects an image of the filament as the filament is extruded. The system applies a classifier to the collected image to generate an image-derived state characterizing the filament. Based on the internal state and the image-derived state, the system estimates a derived state using a model. The system determines control parameters using the model to achieve a desired quality of the filament by minimizing a cost function based on the internal state, the image-derived state, the derived state, and constraints of the material extrusion device. Finally, the system provides the control parameters to a controller of the material extrusion device.

Abstract: A textile-reinforced composite friction material is provided by the present invention that includes a nonwoven needlepunched fiber mat, a resin matrix impregnated within and onto the fiber mat, and a carbon nanomaterial dispersed within the resin matrix. The carbon nanomaterial is preferably carbon nanotubes and/or carbon nanofibers.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating and porting a persistent virtual identity. Generating and porting a persistent virtual identity can include processing a 3D asset received from a source application, determining a plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset, comparing the plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset with a plurality of standards enforced by a destination application, configuring the plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset to correspond with the plurality of standards enforced by the destination application based on a determination that the plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset do not conform to the plurality of standards enforced by the destination application, and transferring the 3D asset to the destination application based on a determination that the plurality of standards associated with the 3D asset conform to the plurality of standards enforced by the destination application.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for forming a nanostencil mask. The method involves irradiating a substrate to increase resistivity of a plurality of first portions of the substrate relative to one or more second portions of the substrate surrounding the plurality of first portions. The method also involves passing a current through the substrate, the current preferentially passing through and weakening the one or more second portions of the substrate. This preference is a result of the higher resistivity in the one or more first portions of the substrate causing the current to pass through the relatively lower resistivity second portion(s). The method also involves subjecting the substrate to a material removal process, the material removal process preferentially removing the weakened one or more second portions of the substrate and thereby forming a nanostencil mask comprising the plurality of first portions of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a liquid crystal (LC) device and large area LC devices is provided. The method includes forming a LC layer and forming a coated silicon wafer on at least one surface of the LC layer. The coated silicon wafer includes a sacrificial layer for providing structural strength during fabrication of the LC device and a thin coating layer serving as an external light transmissive layer, and the coated silicon wafer is formed such that the thin coating layer is formed on the LC layer and the sacrificial layer is formed on the thin coating layer. The method also includes fabricating the LC device and selectively removing at least a portion of the sacrificial layer of the coated silicon wafer to expose at least a portion of the thin coating layer to serve as an external layer of the LC device.

Abstract: A textile-reinforced composite friction material is provided by the present invention that includes a nonwoven needlepunched fiber mat, a resin matrix impregnated within and onto the fiber mat, and a carbon nanomaterial dispersed within the resin matrix. The carbon nanomaterial is preferably carbon nanotubes and/or carbon nanofibers.

Abstract: A textile-reinforced composite friction material is provided by the present invention that includes a nonwoven needlepunched fiber mat, a resin matrix impregnated within and onto the fiber mat, and a carbon nanomaterial dispersed within the resin matrix. The carbon nanomaterial is preferably carbon nanotubes and/or carbon nanofibers.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for forming a nanostencil mask. The method involves irradiating a substrate to increase resistivity of a plurality of first portions of the substrate relative to one or more second portions of the substrate surrounding the plurality of first portions. The method also involves passing a current through the substrate, the current preferentially passing through and weakening the one or more second portions of the substrate. This preference is a result of the higher resistivity in the one or more first portions of the substrate causing the current to pass through the relatively lower resistivity second portion(s). The method also involves subjecting the substrate to a material removal process, the material removal process preferentially removing the weakened one or more second portions of the substrate and thereby forming a nanostencil mask comprising the plurality of first portions of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a liquid crystal (LC) device and large area LC devices is provided. The method includes forming a LC layer and forming a coated silicon wafer on at least one surface of the LC layer. The coated silicon wafer includes a sacrificial layer for providing structural strength during fabrication of the LC device and a thin coating layer serving as an external light transmissive layer, and the coated silicon wafer is formed such that the thin coating layer is formed on the LC layer and the sacrificial layer is formed on the thin coating layer. The method also includes fabricating the LC device and selectively removing at least a portion of the sacrificial layer of the coated silicon wafer to expose at least a portion of the thin coating layer to serve as an external layer of the LC device.

Abstract: A business may uniformly calculate and offer a fee refund to customers requesting refunds for fees charged to the customers' accounts. Rather than relying on individual employee discretion, a server may use account information and customer information to generate the fee refund amount to be offered to the customer. The calculated refund amount may be based on a variety of considerations including, but not limited to, the amount the account is overdrawn, the profitability of the account, the number of occurrences of charged fees, and/or other factors such as family relationships to other bank customers. Additionally, a fee refund offer may be stored and referred to when the customer subsequently requests a refund.

Abstract: A group table top videoconferencing device for communication between local participants and one or more remote participants provides a camera assembly and display screens on the same housing—giving the remote participant the perception that the local participant is making direct eye-to-eye contact with him/her. The housing is placed such that the housing is within the field of view of every local participant viewing any other local participant. Because, the remote participant is always within the field of view of the local participant, the remote participant does not get the feeling of non-intimacy during the videoconference. A wall mounted display operates in conjunction with the videoconferencing device to display media content received from the remote participants. Keypad and a touch screen provide user interface for controlling the operation of the videoconferencing device. Speakers convert audio signals received from the remote participants into sound.

Abstract: A textile-reinforced composite friction material is provided by the present invention that includes a nonwoven needlepunched fiber mat, a resin matrix impregnated within and onto the fiber mat, and a carbon nanomaterial dispersed within the resin matrix. The carbon nanomaterial is preferably carbon nanotubes and/or carbon nanofibers.

Abstract: According to the principles of the invention, there is provided a system, apparatus, and method for managing media in a multimedia conferencing system according to media roles. Each media stream may be explicitly labeled with a role that describes the function or purpose of the stream, such as “people” or “content.” The labels may be hierarchical, and may include layers for media type, additional media source description, and the like, e.g., “people/presenter” or “people/presenter/video/” A policy manager is provided for managing roles, such that the multimedia conference may be more effectively presented to participants. A token management system may also be provided so that control of the multimedia conference roles can be transferred during the conference.

Abstract: A business may uniformly calculate and offer a fee refund to customers requesting refunds for fees charged to the customers' accounts. Rather than relying on individual employee discretion, a server may use account information and customer information to generate the fee refund amount to be offered to the customer. The calculated refund amount may be based on a variety of considerations including, but not limited to, the amount the account is overdrawn, the profitability of the account, the number of occurrences of charged fees, and/or other factors such as family relationships to other bank customers. Additionally, a fee refund offer may be stored and referred to when the customer subsequently requests a refund.