Abstract: An improved dispenser unit for dispensing bulk food items, including a cabinet having at least one hopper having a drum with product compartments, a deflector and flexible gate valve, a dispense assembly, and a control system. The dispense assembly may or may not include one or more belts and/or sensors. The product compartments include flexible and/or elastic membranes, which dynamically change the effective product storage volume within a compartment, and eliminate rigid or semi-rigid pinch points between the drum and drum compartment. A product flow divider may be positioned above the receiving container in the dispense assembly, said divider configured to cause the dispensed product to divide into two or more flow streams into the receiving container. The receiving container may be vibrated or oscillated.

Abstract: A barrier arm operator includes a bracket operably coupled to a drive, wherein the drive rotates the bracket about an axis in a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction; and an arm coupled to the bracket and driven between a lowered position and a raised position by rotation of the bracket about the axis, wherein the arm is rotatably coupled to the bracket about a pivot axis orthogonally oriented with respect to the axis, wherein the bracket comprises a detent configured to retain the arm in a first position relative to the bracket in an in-use state, and wherein the arm rotates about the pivot axis from the first position to a second position in response to impact of an object against the arm.

Abstract: Systems and methods for autonomous crop maintenance and seedline tracking in agricultural environments. The methods involve determining crop density within a field, generating kernel density estimations, and identifying seedline locations by analyzing local minima in crop density and their persistence. Virtual bands are generated around the seedlines to focus maintenance efforts, such as weeding or thinning, on these areas while ignoring out-of-band regions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for autonomously thinning crops in agricultural fields. An autonomous plant targeting system identifies individual crops within the region, evaluates parameters such as spacing, health, and size, and selects specific crops for thinning based on these parameters. The system is capable of designating crop boundaries around individual crops and selecting target crops for removal or eradication, such as by laser irradiation, without affecting surrounding plants.

Abstract: A handgun simulation assembly that mates a virtual reality (VR) controller having a trigger finger button with a handgun grip and trigger in order to better simulate the feel of a typical handgun for a VR environment. The handgun simulation assembly includes a handgun body with a trigger translation subassembly for translating the horizontal motion of the trigger blade pull to a vertical translational action to depress the trigger finger button of the VR controller. A tensioning mechanism is incorporated in the trigger translation subassembly to simulate the feel of trigger resistance that is found in a physical handgun. By mating commercially available VR controllers with realistic handgun grips and triggers, users of the handgun simulation assembly are provided with a more realistic handgun experience when in a VR environment.

Abstract: A handgun simulation assembly that mates a virtual reality (VR) controller having a trigger finger button with a handgun grip and trigger in order to better simulate the feel of a typical handgun for a VR environment. The handgun simulation assembly includes a handgun body with a mating cradle that is designed to receive and hold a VR controller. The mating cradle has an engaged position where the VR controller is affixed to the handgun body and an unengaged position where the VR controller is released. When the mating cradle is in the engaged position, the VR controller can be oriented such that the trigger finger button is positioned downward, and the control pad is positioned rearward and facing the user. The mating cradle allows various subassemblies to access the buttons on the VR controller to provide a more realistic handgun experience when in a VR environment.

Abstract: An improved dispenser unit for dispensing bulk food items, including a cabinet having at least one hopper having a drum with product compartments, a deflector and flexible gate valve, a dispense assembly, and a control system. The dispense assembly may or may not include one or more belts and/or sensors. The product compartments include flexible and/or elastic membranes, which dynamically change the effective product storage volume within a compartment, and eliminate rigid or semi-rigid pinch points between the drum and drum compartment. A product flow divider may be positioned above the receiving container in the dispense assembly, said divider configured to cause the dispensed product to divide into two or more flow streams into the receiving container. The receiving container may be vibrated or oscillated.

Abstract: A handgun simulation assembly that mates a virtual reality (VR) controller having a trigger finger button with a handgun grip and trigger in order to better simulate the feel of a typical handgun for a VR environment. The handgun simulation assembly includes a handgun body with a magazine release subassembly for transferring the depression of a magazine release button on the handgun grip to a translational action to depress the side button of the VR controller. Depressing the magazine release button can also cause a magazine weight suspended inside the handgun grip to at least partially drop downward in the handgun grip to simulate an actual magazine drop. By mating commercially available VR controllers with realistic handgun grips and triggers, users of the handgun simulation assembly are provided with a more realistic handgun experience when in a VR environment.

Abstract: A computer-implemented control system and method for data allocating of a plurality of sharing database files having share amounts based on a plurality of requests from a plurality of receiving devices of a direct sharing network and method for displaying and initiating transfer according to the allocating component. A display device and user input device displays sending elements, receiving elements, and share components in a location-specific manner. The allocating component determines the allocating of shares between the plurality of user sending devices to the plurality of user receiving devices. Allocating may proceed in an iterative process using multiple steps, over different time frames, for increasing the speed of sharing through the direct sharing network.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a movable barrier operator including a body, a motor supported by the body, and a rotatable drive supported by the body and configured to be connected to an elongated driven member. The movable barrier operator further includes a shaft supported by the body and a compound gear mounted on the shaft. The compound gear includes a first gear operably coupled to a drive shaft of the motor and a second gear operably coupled to the rotatable drive. The first and second gears connected such that turning of the first gear causes turning of the second gear.

Abstract: A storage receptacle can include a storage bin and a pedal mounted to the receptacle as well as a hopper. A method of using the storage receptacle can include receiving a force on a hopper handle of a hopper of a storage receptacle, the hopper having a cable connection point connected to a cable, based on the force, rotating the hopper to enable a user to place material in a storage bin of the storage receptacle, wherein the rotating causes the cable to have slack and preventing the cable having the slack from coming out of a groove in a pulley via a shroud positioned over at least a portion of the pulley.

Abstract: The present methods and apparatus apply an electric field to a sample in order to prepare it for analysis. In some embodiments, an electric field is applied for drying, staining and coverslipping of tissue sections, providing improved tissue sections for analysis and storage.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a movable barrier operator including a body, a motor supported by the body, and a rotatable drive supported by the body and configured to be connected to an elongated driven member. The movable barrier operator further includes a shaft supported by the body and a compound gear mounted on the shaft. The compound gear includes a first gear operably coupled to a drive shaft of the motor and a second gear operably coupled to the rotatable drive. The first and second gears connected such that turning of the first gear causes turning of the second gear.

Abstract: A storage receptacle can include a storage bin and a pedal mounted to the receptacle as well as a hopper. A method of using the storage receptacle can include receiving a force on a hopper handle of a hopper of a storage receptacle, the hopper having a cable connection point connected to a cable, based on the force, rotating the hopper to enable a user to place material in a storage bin of the storage receptacle, wherein the rotating causes the cable to have slack and preventing the cable having the slack from coming out of a groove in a pulley via a shroud positioned over at least a portion of the pulley.

Abstract: An improved dispenser unit for dispensing bulk food items, including a cabinet having at least one hopper having a drum with product compartments, a deflector and flexible gate valve, a dispense assembly, and a control system. The dispense assembly may or may not include one or more belts and/or sensors. The product compartments include flexible and/or elastic membranes, which dynamically change the effective product storage volume within a compartment, and eliminate rigid or semi-rigid pinch points between the drum and drum compartment. A product flow divider may be positioned above the receiving container in the dispense assembly, said divider configured to cause the dispensed product to divide into two or more flow streams into the receiving container. The receiving container may be vibrated or oscillated.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods, devices, modules, and systems which may be employed to accurately track, and subsequently target, objects of interest relative to a moving body, such as a vehicle. An object tracking method may be implemented by a detection system with a sensor coupled to the moving body. A targeting system may be used to target objects tracked by the detection system, such as for automated crop cultivation or maintenance. Devices disclosed herein may be configured to locate, identify, and autonomously target a weed with a beam, such as a laser beam, which may burn or irradiate the weed. The methods, devices, modules, and systems may be used for agricultural crop management or for at-home weed control.

Abstract: Power cords are provided. A power cord includes measurement circuitry configured to measure electrical energy consumption by an apparatus that is connected to the power cord. The power cord also includes first transceiver circuitry configured to transmit data regarding the measured electrical energy consumption to second transceiver circuitry that is spaced apart from the power cord. Related hardwired apparatuses and methods are also provided.

Abstract: An improved dispenser unit for dispensing bulk food items, including a cabinet having at least one hopper having a drum with product compartments, a deflector and flexible gate valve, a dispense assembly, and a control system. The dispense assembly may or may not include one or more belts and/or sensors. The product compartments include flexible and/or elastic membranes, which dynamically change the effective product storage volume within a compartment, and eliminate rigid or semi-rigid pinch points between the drum and drum compartment. A product flow divider may be positioned above the receiving container in the dispense assembly, said divider configured to cause the dispensed product to divide into two or more flow streams into the receiving container. The receiving container may be vibrated or oscillated.

Abstract: A storage receptacle can include a storage bin and a pedal mounted to the receptacle as well as a hopper. A method of using the storage receptacle can include receiving a force on a hopper handle of a hopper of a storage receptacle, the hopper having a cable connection point connected to a cable, based on the force, rotating the hopper to enable a user to place material in a storage bin of the storage receptacle, wherein the rotating causes the cable to have slack and preventing the cable having the slack from coming out of a groove in a pulley via a shroud positioned over at least a portion of the pulley.