Abstract: A system for conditioning live crude oil to produce stabilized oil that can be stored in a conventional oil storage tank and hydrocarbon gas includes a stabilizer tower and a heater treater. The stabilizer tower receives oil from separators at the wellhead production facility and outputs oil to the heater treater. The heater treater outputs gas back into the stabilizer tower and, optionally, recycles a portion of oil output back into the heater treater, which enhances oil output.

Abstract: A security monitoring system is a network of distributed computing systems. The distributed computing systems include an ingestion & rules engine, a compromised identity set service, and a message bus. The ingestion & rules engine, the compromised identity set service, and the message bus may be separated in the security monitoring system geographically from any other distributed computing system in the security monitoring system. The security monitoring system may communicate electronically with an information distributor, an identity system, and external services.

Abstract: This invention is a control system to be used in a plasma pyrolysis reactor. This control system is designed to significantly reduce the energy consumption of methane decomposition by utilizing frequency, waveshape, and voltage to minimize the energy required. Inlet gas streams to a plasma pyrolysis reactor can change seasonally, thus the optimal energy characteristics change. By using a control system to monitor these changes, and react to these changes, we are able to reduce the input power. This is significant as the cost of energy is a main driver for Hydrogen and Carbon production.

Abstract: A joist assembly system that is structured for dynamic retrieval of components, dynamic and precise positioning and location of retrieved components, assembly of the components to form a joist, and delivery of the assembled joist. The joist assembly system has a plurality of material handling systems, a plurality of welding systems, and a rigging table system. The material handling systems are structured to load and position the components such as chords and webs onto the rigging table. The rigging table in turn supports the chords or webs. Subsequently, the plurality of welding systems weld the webs to the chords to form the joist.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses and methods for a rotating optical reflector. Optical systems may have a limited field of view, and so in order to expand the area that the optical system collects data from, the field of view of the optical system may be scanned across a target area. The present disclosure is directed to a rotating optical reflector, which includes a transmissive layer which refracts light onto a reflective layer, which has a normal which is not parallel to the axis about which the optical reflector is rotated. The optical reflector may be both statically and dynamically balanced, which may allow an increased size of the optical reflector, which in turn may increase the aperture of an optical system (e.g., a lidar system) using the rotating optical reflector.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided to test valves. The apparatus includes an actuation mechanism having an actuator that seals a valve of a combustion chamber of an engine. The apparatus further includes a flow control device that controls a flow of a pressurized fluid to the combustion chamber. The apparatus further includes a plurality of sensors having a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor is disposed in an inlet port of the combustion chamber to detect a first flow rate of the pressurized fluid in the inlet port. The second sensor is disposed in an exhaust port of the combustion chamber to detect a second flow rate of the pressurized fluid in the exhaust port. The apparatus further includes a notification device configured to generate an alert based on the detected first flow rate and the detected second flow rate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses and methods for a rotating optical reflector. Optical systems may have a limited field of view, and so in order to expand the area that the optical system collects data from, the field of view of the optical system may be scanned across a target area. The present disclosure is directed to a rotating optical reflector, which includes a transmissive layer which refracts light onto a reflective layer, which has a normal which is not parallel to the axis about which the optical reflector is rotated. The optical reflector may be both statically and dynamically balanced, which may allow an increased size of the optical reflector, which in turn may increase the aperture of an optical system (e.g., a lidar system) using the rotating optical reflector.

Abstract: A joist assembly system that is structured for dynamic retrieval of components, dynamic and precise positioning and location of retrieved components, assembly of the components to form a joist, and delivery of the assembled joist. The joist assembly system has a plurality of material handling systems, a plurality of welding systems, and a rigging table system. The material handling systems are structured to load and position the components such as chords and webs onto the rigging table. The rigging table in turn supports the chords or webs. Subsequently, the plurality of welding systems weld the webs to the chords to form the joist.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided to test valves. The apparatus includes an actuation mechanism having an actuator that seals a valve of a combustion chamber of an engine. The apparatus further includes a flow control device that controls a flow of a pressurized fluid to the combustion chamber. The apparatus further includes a plurality of sensors having a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor is disposed in an inlet port of the combustion chamber to detect a first flow rate of the pressurized fluid in the inlet port. The second sensor is disposed in an exhaust port of the combustion chamber to detect a second flow rate of the pressurized fluid in the exhaust port. The apparatus further includes a notification device configured to generate an alert based on the detected first flow rate and the detected second flow rate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses and methods for a rotating optical reflector. Optical systems may have a limited field of view, and so in order to expand the area that the optical system collects data from, the field of view of the optical system may be scanned across a target area. The present disclosure is directed to a rotating optical reflector, which includes a transmissive layer which refracts light onto a reflective layer, which has a normal which is not parallel to the axis about which the optical reflector is rotated. The optical reflector may be both statically and dynamically balanced, which may allow an increased size of the optical reflector, which in turn may increase the aperture of an optical system (e.g., a lidar system) using the rotating optical reflector.

Abstract: Example muscle tension relief devices are provided herein. A muscle tension relief device includes a first base portion extending in a first plane, a second base portion extending in a second plane, and a muscle engagement feature extending generally upwardly. There is a non-zero angle extending between the first plane and the second plane. The device is configured to engage with and relieve tension in a user's iliacus or psoas muscles. The device can transition from a first position resting on the first base portion to a second position resting on the second base portion to cause the muscle engagement feature to change orientation to apply pressure at the proper position on a user's psoas major muscle. The shape of an upper portion of a body of the device and the muscle engagement feature correspond to the shape of a hand, such as that of a physical therapist.

Abstract: Low drift force sensing conductors include small conductive balls in the ink used to create the conductor. The use of conductive balls reduces sensor drift while avoiding unwanted side-effects like temperature sensitivity. The conductive balls are made of sized synthetic graphite, a derivative of petroleum pitch or coal tar or any other suitable substance. Force sensors incorporating these balls also demonstrate enhanced sensitivity to low forces.

Abstract: Unicondylar tibia implant devices having a bone-facing, distal side that can be detailed with cement fixation features and may include any of or a plurality of grooves, pegs, fins, rails, cavities, and/or coating whereby the geometry of the implant device improves implant-to-cement or cement-to-bone fixation characteristics exceeding that of a traditional flat surface. The implant device may also include a proximal side facing away from the bone-facing, distal side and having a geometry that provides either articulation with (cartilage and meniscal substituting) or receipt of a secondary device coupleable to the implant device on the distal side of the secondary device that features an away-from-bone facing articulating feature. Additionally, the geometry of the implant device in anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions, among other directions, provides a variety of improvements relative to currently available devices.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are drawn to apparatuses and methods for a rotating optical reflector. Optical systems may have a limited field of view, and so in order to expand the area that the optical system collects data from, the field of view of the optical system may be scanned across a target area. The present disclosure is directed to a rotating optical reflector, which includes a transmissive layer which refracts light onto a reflective layer, which has a normal which is not parallel to the axis about which the optical reflector is rotated. The optical reflector may be both statically and dynamically balanced, which may allow an increased size of the optical reflector, which in turn may increase the aperture of an optical system (e.g., a lidar system) using the rotating optical reflector.

Abstract: A joist assembly system that is structured for dynamic retrieval of components, dynamic and precise positioning and location of retrieved components, assembly of the components to form a joist, and delivery of the assembled joist. The joist assembly system has a plurality of material handling systems, a plurality of welding systems, and a rigging table system. The material handling systems are structured to load and position the components such as chords and webs onto the rigging table. The rigging table in turn supports the chords or webs. Subsequently, the plurality of welding systems weld the webs to the chords to form the joist.

Abstract: A surgical instrument and accompanying methods for preparing a patients femur to receive an orthopedic implant having a curved distal surface is disclosed. The femoral bone alignment device integrates a femoral alignment guide and a posterior cutting block with references to establish alignment to the distal femoral bone. That is, the bone alignment device includes a drill guide for establishing alignment of a unicompartmental femoral implant and a cutting slot for preparing the posterior bone. Corresponding methods optionally utilizing installation of an IM rod are also disclosed. During installation, the femoral bone alignment device may be used to pre-balance the patients knee to establish alignment with respect to the femur concerning flexion-extension and varus-valgus alignment of the unicompartmental femoral implant. Meanwhile, anterior-posterior (A-P) placement and Superior-inferior (S-I) placement may also be established.

Abstract: Examples of automatic password expiration based on password integrity are described. In an example, a password may be sent to a password integrity system to evaluate the password against integrity criteria. An integrity score for the password and scoring characteristics indicating the integrity criteria that contributed to the integrity score may be received from the password integrity system. The password may be automatically expired in response to the integrity score being less than an integrity threshold.