Abstract: A tubeless smoothie vending machine including a tubeless electro-mechanically actuated dispensing nozzle attached to each smoothie dispensing tank, a cup retrieval system to retrieve an empty cup and move the cup to each selected dispensing nozzle, a portal in the cup retrieval system to transfer the cup through the cup retrieval system, a receiving shelf to receive the filled cup, a dispenser system to drop dry food product into the beverage filled cup, and an access door to open when the beverage filled cup is ready to vend to the customer. Tubes for delivering beverage to the cup are eliminated. A consolidated smoothie vending machine having a plurality of integrated smoothie blenders, a dry food supplement delivery assembly, a straw delivery assembly, and a lid delivery assembly. In one example, the smoothie blenders are stacked. In one example, the smoothie blenders are attached to sliding shelving.

Abstract: A tubeless smoothie vending machine including a tubeless electro-mechanically actuated dispensing nozzle attached to each smoothie dispensing tank, a cup retrieval system to retrieve an empty cup and move the cup to each selected dispensing nozzle, a portal in the cup retrieval system to transfer the cup through the cup retrieval system, a receiving shelf to receive the filled cup, a dispenser system to drop dry food product into the beverage filled cup, and an access door to open when the beverage filled cup is ready to vend to the customer. Tubes for delivering beverage to the cup are eliminated. A consolidated smoothie vending machine having a plurality of integrated smoothie blenders, a dry food supplement delivery assembly, a straw delivery assembly, and a lid delivery assembly. In one example, the smoothie blenders are stacked. In one example, the smoothie blenders are attached to sliding shelving.

Abstract: A linear rail guide system for a smoothie vending machine, the linear rail guide system positioned and arranged for positioning a cup at a dispensing point of six separate smoothie blenders, the smoothie blenders located at different horizontal and vertical positions. In one example, the linear rail guide system includes a frame of two vertical members and two horizontal members, a horizontally movable third vertical member disposed on the two horizontal members, a vertically moveable cup holder assembly disposed on the third vertical member, a motor disposed on the third vertical member to vertically move a cup holder, and a second motor disposed on the cup holder assembly to rotate the cup holder.

Abstract: A mounting plate for a smoothie vending machine vertically disposed on the housing of the vending machine. The mounting plate is vertically hinged and swingable outward from the housing. The mounting plate is positioned and arranged between a front door of the smoothie vending machine and a plurality of smoothie dispensing tanks contained in the housing. The mounting plate is positioned and arranged to swing open to enable access to the smoothie dispensing tanks and a plurality of blender motors for refilling and maintenance. A means for retrieving and moving a cup are disposed on the mounting plate.

Abstract: Measuring in a first semiconductor crystal two anode channels and two cathode channels and measuring in a second semiconductor crystal one anode channel and one cathode channel; responsive to an energy of a sum of the two anode channels being within an energy window and an energy of the one anode channel being within the energy window: separating the two anode channels and the two cathode channels into combinations of anode-cathode channel pairs; for each of the anode-cathode channel pairs, determining a respective direction difference angle, each respective direction difference angle being determined via use of the one anode channel and one cathode channel; determining a determined one of the direction difference angles that has a smallest value; and setting as an initial interaction position of a photon a selected one of the anode-cathode channel pairs that corresponds to the determined direction difference angle. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, measuring in a first semiconductor crystal two anode channels and two cathode channels and measuring in a second semiconductor crystal one anode channel and one cathode channel; determining whether an energy of a sum of the two anode channels is within an energy window; determining whether an energy of the one anode channel is within the energy window; responsive to the energy of the sum of the two anode channels being within the energy window and the energy of the one anode channel being within the energy window: separating the two anode channels and the two cathode channels into combinations of anode-cathode channel pairs; for each of the anode-cathode channel pairs, determining a respective direction difference angle, each respective direction difference angle being determined via use of the one anode channel and one cathode channel; determining from among the direction difference angles a determined one of the direction difference angles that has

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for presenting video game contests via television. A system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention comprises a network of gaming platforms, wherein the network of gaming platforms comprise at least one player platform and at least one spectator platform, each gaming platform in the network of gaming platforms having a video output, wherein the at least one spectator platform has a delayed start in the video game contest, a plurality of converters, each converter in the plurality of converters respectively coupled to the video outputs of the gaming platforms, a production facility, coupled to the plurality of converters, for viewing the video outputs of the gaming platforms via the plurality of converters and for selecting a chosen video output to be broadcast, and a broadcast system, coupled to the production facility, for distributing the chosen video output.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for presenting video game contests via television are presented. A system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention comprises a network of gaming platforms, wherein the network of gaming platforms comprise at least one player platform and at least one spectator platform, the at least one spectator platform having a viewing perspective different from that of the at least one player platform, each gaming platform in the network of gaming platforms having a video output, a plurality of converters, each converter in the plurality of converters respectively coupled to the video outputs of the gaming platforms, a production facility, coupled to the plurality of converters, for viewing the video outputs of the gaming platforms via the plurality of converters and for selecting a chosen video output to be broadcast, and a broadcast system, coupled to the production facility, for distributing the chosen video output.

Abstract: A radiation imaging device (10). The radiation image device (10) comprises a subject radiation station (12) producing photon emissions (14), and at least one semiconductor crystal detector (16) arranged in an edge-on orientation with respect to the emitted photons (14) to directly receive the emitted photons (14) and produce a signal. The semiconductor crystal detector (16) comprises at least one anode and at least one cathode that produces the signal in response to the emitted photons (14).

Abstract: In a PET system having a box-like configuration where four detector panels enclose a field of view, improved photon efficiency is provided by arranging the panels such that a side face of each panel makes contact with a front face of another panel. This arrangement allows for photon efficiency to be improved by “filling in the corners” of the system and/or by adjusting panel positions to conform the field of view to the imaging target along two dimensions. Such adjustment of the field of view does not require altering the size of the detector panels. Furthermore, photon efficiency in embodiments of the invention can be considerably better than the photon efficiency of conventional cylindrical PET arrangements (e.g., as on FIG. 1). Elimination of the wedge-shaped inter-module gaps of the cylindrical geometry can significantly increase efficiency, because Compton scattering into these gaps can be a significant loss mechanism.

Abstract: A charge multiplexed position sensing apparatus and method for measuring an incident radiation with the aid of an array of solid-state photosensitive detectors such as an array of avalanche photodiodes (APDs). The solid-state photosensitive detectors multiplex sum terminal(s) and a number of correspondent spatial terminals separately. Sum signal busses are provided to establish separate connections to the sum terminals of each solid-state photosensitive detector. Spatial signal busses interconnect correspondent spatial terminals of all of the solid-state photosensitive detectors such that correspondent spatial terminals are all connected to the same spatial signal bus. The multiplexing circuit triggers on electrical signals corresponding to sum or total voltages generated by the incident radiation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of reconstructing a tomographic image. In a first step, a tomographic image is forward-projected along a list of geometrical lines in a GPU. This list of geometrical lines may be list-mode event data acquired from a tomographic scanner. Alternatively, the list may be a list of weighted lines derived from a sinogram, a histogram, or a timogram acquired from a tomographic scanner. Next, the list of geometrical lines is back-projected into a 3-dimensional volume using the GPU. The results of the forward- and back-projection are then used to reconstruct the tomographic image, which is then provided as an output, e.g. to make the image available for further processing. Examples of output include storage on a storage medium and display on a display device.

Abstract: A method and/or device of adaptively controlling an exposure duration for a camera. A determination is made as to whether motion is present. If it is determined that motion is present, exposure duration for one or more images is automatically decreased. If it is determined that motion is not present, the frame exposure duration is automatically increased.