Abstract: A system and method to partially vaporize a process or feed water stream does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream comes into contact with a heating medium that is less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is partially vaporized, any solids present in the process stream together with the unvaporized process or feed water stream move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized liquids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized process stream can be further condensed. Any heat recovered can be used to pre-heat the process stream or in the pump-around loop's heater in case of mechanical vapor recovery.

Abstract: An apparatus for containing fluid released from a vessel during a bleeding operation to release pressure formed therein comprises an enclosed receptacle defining an interior of the receptacle for receiving the fluid discharged from the vessel due to the pressure during the bleeding operation, an inlet port fluidically communicated with the receptacle interior for fluidically coupling the interior with the vessel so that the fluid released from the vessel during the bleeding operation can be guided to the interior of the receptacle, a gas pressure release valve arranged to release to an external environment of the receptacle a gaseous portion of the fluid in the interior of the receptacle received from the vessel, and a drain port for selectively releasing a liquid portion of the fluid received from the vessel.

Abstract: A system and method for receiving a medical image, receiving an adaptation of a model of a physical structure, the adaptation relating to the medical image, determining an image quantity of the medical image at each of a plurality of vertices of the adaptation and aggregating the plurality of image quantities to determine an evaluation metric.

Abstract: In accordance with aspects of the present invention, a first wireless power enabled device includes a transceiver and control logic. The transceiver includes a plurality of switches coupled in a full-bridge configuration with a resonant tank circuit. The control logic is configured to detect a presence of a second wireless power enabled device, establish a trusted relationship with the second wireless power enabled device, determine an operating mode of the first wireless power enabled device selected from a transmit mode or a receive mode, and drive the plurality of switches to operate the resonant tank circuit in the determined operating mode. The first wireless power enabled device may further include a memory that stores a copy of a first key associated with the first wireless power enabled device and a copy of a second key associated with the second wireless power enabled device.

Abstract: The disclosed methods and systems are related to a navigation of user interfaces that is vector based. Vector based navigation combines the efficiency of orthogonal direction navigation (up/down/left/right) with the flexibility of pointer-based (e.g. mouse/touch-pad) navigation. User interface elements can be arranged arbitrarily in 2D (or 3D) space and described in term of vector relationships from the currently active UI element. Directional gestures coming from control devices such as a track-ball, touch-pad, or gyroscopic remote can be translated into vector movements to affect navigation between UI elements.

Abstract: A low-power platform senses an environment around the platform. The platform includes sensor interfaces, a multiplexer, a dual port memory, a processor, and a radio. The similar sensor interfaces are for attaching environmental sensors. The multiplexer combines the environmental data from the attached environmental sensors into a single stream. The dual port memory temporarily stores the stream. The processor intermittently retrieves the stream from the dual port memory. The radio forwards the stream toward a central system. Each interface includes a mechanical interlock for attaching a respective environmental sensor and an electrical interlock for detecting whether the mechanical interlock engages the environmental sensor. Each interface transfers peripheral power and environmental data for the respective environmental sensor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid hand dishwashing cleaning composition including a surfactant system, wherein the surfactant system includes an anionic surfactant and a co-surfactant, wherein the anionic surfactant includes a mixture of a linear anionic surfactant and a branched anionic surfactant with a defined degree of branching and with the branching predominantly on an unalkoxylated alkyl sulfate surfactant. Such compositions exhibit surprising and unexpected improved sudsing profile, preferably stable suds, especially when the manual dishwashing is performed in a sink full of water with the cleaning composition diluted in it.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hand dishwashing cleaning composition including a surfactant system, wherein the surfactant system includes an anionic surfactant and a co-surfactant, wherein the anionic surfactant includes a mixture of a linear anionic surfactant and a branched anionic surfactant with a defined degree of branching on an alkyl ethoxy sulfate surfactant. Such compositions exhibit surprising and unexpected improved sudsing profile, preferably stable suds, especially when the manual dishwashing is performed in a sink full of water with the cleaning composition diluted in it.

Abstract: The following relates generally to image segmentation. In one aspect, an image is received and preprocessed. The image may then be classified as segmentable if it is ready for segmentation; if not, it may be classified as not segmentable. Multiple, parallel segmentation processes may be performed on the image. The result of each segmentation process may be marked as a potential success (PS) or a potential failure (PF). The results of the individual segmentation processes may be evaluated in stages. An overall failure may be declared if a percentage of the segmentation processes marked as PF reaches a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: The specification describes endoscopes that enable varying stiffness of an insertion portion in an endoscope assembly. In one example, an actuator operates either a spring or a flexible tube to vary stiffness of the insertion portion. In alternative examples, an elliptical wheel arrangement or screw mechanism provides a means to increase stiffness of the insertion portion of an endoscope assembly. In further examples, fluid and gas may be used inside the insertion potion to vary stiffness by varying pressure of the fluid/gas.

Abstract: A sensing system to process at least one valuable document is described herein. The system includes a light source to generate a light beam. The system also includes at least one light pipe having one or more diverting surfaces to direct the light beam at a predetermined angle of incidence onto the valuable document. At least one reflective surface, to receive a first portion of the light beam transmitted through the valuable document and to reflect off the first portion of the light beam towards the valuable document, is included. A light detector is configured to receive at least a second portion of the light beam re-transmitted through the valuable document.

Abstract: A restraint system includes an instrument panel having an exterior panel directed downward, an airbag having an uninflated position behind the exterior panel and having a left chamber and a right chamber, a left inflator coupled to the left chamber, a right inflator coupled to the right chamber, and a controller programmed to selectively activate each inflator to one of a high output and a low output based on an impact angle.

Abstract: A cover that extends over a fastener and methods of installing the cover over the fastener. The cover includes an open end positioned at a member from which the fastener extends. The cover also includes a closed end that extends over the fastener and shields the fastener from the exterior environment that can be combustible. A plurality of holes extend through the cover from the interior space to an exterior environment external to the cap.

Abstract: Monoethylene glycol (MEG) may be reclaimed by a process that includes contacting a MEG-water-salt stream with a heat transfer fluid and then flash separating the MEG and water in the flash separator vessel where the pressure is higher than 0.3 barA (0.03 MPa), the temperature is in the range of above 120° C. to about 250° C., and the residence time of the MEG and water ranges from about 1 second to about 10 minutes, and then removing the MEG and water in an overhead of the flash separator vessel and removing the salt from the flash separator vessel. In some embodiments it is expected that the temperature of the process may range from above 165° C. to about 250° C. and/or that the pressure may be atmospheric.

Abstract: A cover that extends over a fastener and methods of installing the cover over the fastener. The cover includes an open end positioned at a member from which the fastener extends. The cover also includes a closed end that extends over the fastener and shields the fastener from the exterior environment that can be combustible. The cover includes an outer shell with one or more windows. An inner shell is positioned within the outer shell. The inner shell includes one or more windows that are offset from the windows of the outer shell. One or more flow paths extend through the windows for gas, liquid, and/or some particles to flow through the cover while removing the thermal and/or kinetic energy that may ignite the combustible exterior environment.

Abstract: An electronic lock that interacts with a mobile device is presented. In accordance with some embodiments, an electronic lock includes a wireless power receiver configured to receiver power from a mobile device; a processor coupled to receive power from the wireless power receiver; a memory coupled to the processor and to receive power from the wireless power receiver; a communication unit coupled to the processor and to receive power from the wireless power receiver, the communication unit configured to communicate with the mobile device; and an actuator coupled to the processor and to receive power from the wireless power receiver. The processor executes instructions stored in a memory for authenticating the mobile device, and providing signals to the actuator according to instructions received from the mobile device once it is authenticated. The mobile device provides power to the electronic lock and instructs it to lock or unlock a locking mechanism.

Abstract: A first image and a second image of a scene are obtained for use in detecting the location of the floor in the scene. A first of the images is mapped onto a candidate plane that is perpendicular to a gravity vector, thereby creating a texture-mapped plane. The texture-mapped plane is projected into the geometry of the camera utilized to take the second image to create an artificial first image. A comparison is then performed between the first image and the artificial first image to generate a similarity score. Multiple candidate planes are processed in this manner for the first and second images, and the candidate plane generating the highest associated similarity score is chosen as the floor. This process can be repeated for multiple sets of stereo images.

Abstract: The following relates generally to image segmentation. In one aspect, an image is received and preprocessed. The image may then be classified as segmentable if it is ready for segmentation; if not, it may be classified as not segmentable. Multiple, parallel segmentation processes may be performed on the image. The result of each segmentation process may be marked as a potential success (PS) or a potential failure (PF). The results of the individual segmentation processes may be evaluated in stages. An overall failure may be declared if a percentage of the segmentation processes marked as PF reaches a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include methods and systems for utilizing a structured projection pattern to perform depth detection. In some instances, the structured projection pattern forms a dot pattern, which is projected by a projector, wherein the projector includes one or more infrared (IR) light dot pattern illuminators for projecting an IR light dot pattern to a surrounding environment. The IR dot pattern light that is at least partially reflected off one or more objects in the surrounding environment is detected by one or more cameras attached to a head-mounted display (HMD). The HMD, which is physically untethered from the projector, utilizes the captured IR dot pattern light reflections to track movement of the HMD and/or perform depth detection of one or more objects in the environment surrounding the HMD.

Abstract: A system and method to reboil a process or feed water stream in a distillation system does so in a liquid pool zone of a vessel as the stream is removed from a distillation column and comes into contact with a heating medium that is immiscible with and less volatile than the process stream. To keep the pool hot, the heating medium can be recirculated through a heater of a pump-around loop or a heater can be placed in the liquid pool. As the process stream is partially vaporized, any solids present in the process stream together with the unvaporized process or feed water stream move into the heating medium. These solids and unvaporized liquids may be further removed from the heating medium in the pool or in the pump-around loop. The vaporized stream is returned to the distillation column.