Abstract: A compressed unit dose toilet cleaning tablet for use with a wand. The composition contains an anionic surfactant, a carbonate or bicarbonate salt, an organic acid, and about 10% to about 40% by weight polyethylene glycol having molecular weight greater than 3,350. A unit dose of the composition is compressed into a tablet or puck that dissolves in toilet water after cleaning.

Abstract: An apparatus, including a drone which is assigned to a venue and programmed or configured for flight, navigation, or operation, within an interior of the venue. The drone is activated upon an occurrence of a drone activation event, and the drone flies or navigates inside the venue in response to the drone activation event. The drone finds or locates an individual or an animal inside the venue, and initiates a communication link with a communication device, wherein the communication device is located at a location remote from the venue. An audio recording device or a video recording device of or at the drone records audio information or video information, and the drone transmits the audio information or the video information to the communication device or to a computer. The computer is located at a location remote from the venue. The drone provides audio information via a speaker.

Abstract: Described embodiments include an apparatus that includes a flexible electrically-insulating substrate, including an inner surface and an outer surface, and shaped to define (i) multiple narrower channels passing between the inner surface and the outer surface, and (ii) one or more wider channels passing between the inner surface and the outer surface. The apparatus further includes an outer layer of an electrically-conducting metal covering at least part of the outer surface, an inner layer of the electrically-conducting metal covering at least part of the inner surface, a plating layer of the electrically-conducting metal that plates the wider channels such as to connect the outer layer to the inner layer, and respective columns of the electrically-conducting metal that fill the narrower channels such as to connect the outer layer to the inner layer. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A skateboard deck that is both stiff in one dimension and flexible in another dimension is disclosed. The deck includes an elongated body characterized by a longitudinal axis, a plurality of ribs, and a plurality of apertures. The plurality of ribs are long, narrow beams oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and integral with the bottom of the elongated body. The plurality of apertures are distributed in a plurality of rows also oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The ribs and rows of apertures are interposed in an alternating pattern across the width of the deck. The resulting deck is stiff in the longitudinal direction yet flexible with respect to rotation about the longitudinal axis. The deck is therefore flexible enough to enable the front and rear trucks to rotate with respect to one another while still being rigid enough to withstand the weight of the rider.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique of configuring flexible photovoltaic tracker systems with high damping and low angle stow positions. Under dynamic environmental loads implementing a high amount of damping (e.g., greater than 25% of critical damping, greater than 50% of critical damping) or a very high amount of damping (e.g., 100% or greater of critical damping, infinite damping) enables the flexible tracker system to prevent problematic aeroelastic behaviors while positioned in a low stow angle. The disclosed technique is further applied to a prototyping process during wind tunnel testing.

Abstract: A portable cooler container is provided, with a payload chamber for one or more temperature sensitive or perishable goods. A cooling unit is disposed in the payload chamber. The cooling unit includes a vessel filled with a cooling material (e.g., dry ice) and closed with a lid. One or more variable apertures of the cooling unit are operable to controllably release a chilled gas (e.g., CO2 gas) generated by the cooling material into the payload chamber of the vessel to cool the payload.

Abstract: A medical probe includes a shaft and an expandable flexible distal-end assembly. The shaft is configured for insertion into a cavity of organ of a patient. The expandable flexible distal-end assembly, which is fitted at a distal-end of the shaft, includes a flat flexible backing sheet, including irrigation channels, and two flexible substrates having respective arrays of electrodes disposed thereon, the substrates attached one on either side of the backing sheet.

Abstract: A catheter having a catheter shaft that has a more uniform construction throughout a length of the catheter shaft and is able to provide more than one deflection curvature. The catheter shaft includes a flexible outer tubular member, and a less flexible inner tubular member extending through the outer tubular member in a proximal section of the catheter shaft, wherein the inner tubular member is afforded longitudinal movement relative to the outer tubular member. The catheter also includes at least one puller wire extending through the inner tubular member to deflect a distal deflection section of the catheter shaft, wherein the longitudinal movement of the inner tubular member relative to the outer tubular member enables an operator to select and set a deflection curvature of the distal deflection section.

Abstract: An actively heated mug has a body with a chamber that can receive and hold a beverage and a heating element to actively heat the chamber, batteries, and circuitry that controls the operation of the heating element. A user interface is electrically connected to the circuitry and has one or more buttons actuatable a) to turn on the heating element, b) to adjust a temperature setting to one of multiple temperature settings to control the operation of the heating element to heat or maintain the liquid at a user selected temperature setting, and c) to turn off the heating element.

Abstract: The disclosed compounds relate to treatments and therapies for protein kinase-associated disorders. There is also a need for compounds useful in the treatment or prevention or amelioration of one or more symptoms of cancer, transplant rejections, and autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, there is a need for methods for modulating the activity of protein kinases, such as CDK1, CDK2, CDK4, CDK5, CDK6, CDK7, CDK8 and CDK9, using the compounds provided herein.

Abstract: A method, consisting of providing a metal wire having a wire diameter and an end, and positioning a conductor at a distance from the end of the wire. The method further includes creating an electrical discharge between the conductor and the end, while setting the distance and an electrical potential of the discharge, so as to create a bead of a predefined size on the end. The method also includes assembling the wire with the created bead into an invasive probe, so that the bead is positioned at an outer surface of the probe.

Abstract: A strengthened cover glass or glass-ceramic sheet or article as well as processes and systems for making the strengthened glass or glass-ceramic sheet or article is provided for use in consumer electronic devices. The process comprises cooling the cover glass sheet by non-contact thermal conduction for sufficiently long to fix a surface compression and central tension of the sheet. The process results in thermally strengthened cover glass sheets for use in or on consumer electronic products.

Abstract: A photovoltaic system includes a collection of photovoltaic modules, a base supporting the collection of photovoltaic modules, and a damper coupled between the collection of photovoltaic modules and the base. The damper resists movement of the photovoltaic modules relative to the base. The damper has a first damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a first rate relative to the base and a second damping ratio when the collection of photovoltaic modules moves at a second rate relative to the base, and the damper passively transitions from the first damping ratio to the second damping ratio.

Abstract: A portable container has a payload chamber for holding goods and a lid operable to access the payload chamber. The portable container also has an electronic system with one or more power storage devices, circuitry that wirelessly communicates via a cell radio with a cloud-based data storage system or a remote electronic device, and an electronic display screen. The electronic system also has a button or a touch screen configured to be actuated by a user to a) automatically switch sender and recipient information on the electronic display screen to facilitate return of the portable container to the sender or b) automatically contact a parcel carrier to alert the parcel carrier that the portable container is ready for pickup.

Abstract: A medical probe includes a shaft, an expandable membrane and a probe maneuvering assembly (PMA). The shaft is configured for insertion into a cavity of an organ of a patient. The PMA is located inside the expandable membrane and includes a first elastic element, which is fitted along a longitudinal axis of the PMA and is configured to expand the membrane by shortening the PMA, and to collapse the membrane by elongating the PMA. The PMA further includes a second elastic element, which surrounds at least a portion of the first elastic element and is configured to deflect the membrane relative to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A method of surgically treating a patient suffering from severe pain and disability of the low back and buttock by stabilizing the patient's spinal column to their pelvis with an implant system including surgical tools and an implant designed to prevent movement between the sacrum and the ilium while being able to attach to a spinal fusion rod which connect to pedicle screws implanted in the bones of the spine of the patient in order to offer lasting relief of the patient's symptoms. The system is designed to address complications in adult spinal deformity by optimizing spinopelvic fixation vis-à-vis the unique biomechanics of the SI joint. The sacropelvic system is a surgical solution which provides an additively manufactured implant at the base of the spine employing an S2AI trajectory while utilizing assisting technologies including surgical navigation and intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring.

Abstract: Monitoring apparatus for measuring the respiratory rate of a subject comprises an upper arm unit attached to a subject's upper arm in use and containing at least one movement sensor and a photoplethysmograph configured to monitor blood volume within the subject's upper arm while the upper arm unit is worn on the subject's upper arm. The output from the photoplethysmograph and movement sensor(s) are processed to calculate and output an estimate of the rate of respiration of the subject. Respiratory cycle induced variations in the photoplethysmograph signal and movement sensor signals can be independently determined and there is a greater confidence in the calculated respiratory rate when these independent calculations give consistent readings. If there is insufficient confidence, no rate of respiration is displayed.

Abstract: Drinkware with active temperature control can be a mug made of metal, and optionally coated with a ceramic material. At least one heating element that can thermally communicate with a surface of the drinkware to thereby effect heat transfer through the base in the drinkware. At least one sensor is configured to sense a parameter of the liquid in the drinkware, and at least one power storage element is configured to provide power to the at least one heating element. Control circuitry is configured to control operation of the one or more heating elements, and a transceiver is configured to transmit operating information to a remote electronic device and to receive operating instructions from the remote electronic device.

Abstract: An outdoor bathroom system for disposing of human waste. The outdoor bathroom system includes a shovel for digging a hole, at least one tablet for breaking down the human waste, and at least one wipe. The human waste, the at least one wipe, and the at least one tablet are disposed of in the hole and the at least one tablet breaks down the human waste and the at least one wipe.

Abstract: A coated glass article and of a system and method for forming a coated glass article are provided. The process includes applying a first coating precursor material to the first surface of the glass article and supporting the glass article via a gas bearing. The process includes heating the glass article and the coating precursor material to above a glass transition temperature of the glass article while the glass article is supported by the gas bearing such that during heating, a property of the first coating precursor material changes forming a coating layer on the first surface of the glass article from the first precursor material. The high temperature and/or non-contact coating formation may form a coating layer with one or more new physical properties, such as a deep diffusion layer within the glass, and may form highly consistent coatings on multiple sides of the glass.