Abstract: Devices, systems and/or methods for repairing soft tissue adjacent a repair site. In one embodiment, a repair device includes a plate member and an anchor. The plate member having a periphery, the plate member configured to be positioned along an outer surface of the soft tissue. The anchor includes a base and six legs extending from the base, the six legs extending from the base being moveable to a curled configuration such that the six legs wrap around separate portions of the periphery of the plate member with the soft tissue therebetween. In this manner, the repair device may be anchored to the soft tissue.

Abstract: Systems and methods for manufacturing and inserting a pre-determined number of material-filled pouches into containers are disclosed. A system includes a pouch providing system comprising a plurality of lanes, wherein each one of the plurality of lanes includes a pouch making machine and a hold-back structure. The system also includes a conveyor system structured and arranged to move a plurality of containers into alignment with the plurality of lanes. The system further includes a controller structured and arranged to control the hold-back structure in each one of the plurality of lanes such that the pre-determined pouches are inserted into the plurality of containers when the plurality of containers are aligned with the plurality of lanes.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, an apparatus for making pouch products includes a conveyor system. The conveyor system includes a first receiving location along a path of the conveyor system, and a dosing location along the path of the conveyor system. The apparatus also includes a first material dispensing station configured to transfer a first material to the first receiving location. The first material includes a first elastic layer and a first support layer. The first material dispensing station includes a dispenser roller configured to hold a roll of the first material, a plurality of rollers configured to convey the first material from the dispenser roller to the first receiving location, and a stripper plate configured remove at least a portion of the first support layer from a portion of the first elastic layer.

Abstract: Devices, systems and/or methods for repairing soft tissue adjacent a soft tissue repair site. In one embodiment, a repair device configured to couple to soft tissue is provided. The repair device includes a capture portion and an anchor portion. The capture portion configured to extend with radial portions. The anchor portion includes a base with multiple legs extending therefrom. The multiple legs are configured to move from a linear position to a formed position such that, in the formed position, the multiple legs couple to structure of the capture portion.

Abstract: A delivery apparatus for a prosthetic heart valve includes a shaft, an inner balloon, and an outer balloon. The shaft has a lumen extending from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion and a plurality of openings formed in the distal end portion. The shaft is configured such that a fluid can flow through the lumen and the openings. The inner balloon has end portions and a center portion disposed between the end portions. The inner balloon is mounted on the distal end portion of the shaft and is in fluid communication with the openings of the shaft. When the inner balloon is inflated with the fluid, the end portions expand farther radially outwardly than the center portion. The outer balloon is mounted to the shaft and disposed over the inner balloon. The outer balloon is configured to fully expand after the inner balloon at least partially expands.

Abstract: A machine and method for packaging tobacco sachets, comprising a plurality of linearly arranged, multi-functional, vertically moveable chambers having fluid sealing means on lower portions thereof, conveyor means disposed below the plurality of multi-functional, vertically moveable chambers, and a lidding apparatus disposed downstream of and in communication with the plurality of vertically moveable chambers through the conveyor means.

Abstract: A method for self-calibrating a sound pickup process that uses a microphone array in a wearable device that also includes a loudspeaker, where the microphone array being in a physical arrangement with respect to the loudspeaker. The method obtains, for each of several microphones of the microphone array, one or more transfer functions that each represent a response of the microphone to sound from a position in an acoustic space. The method determines whether a physical arrangement of the microphone array with respect to the loudspeaker has changed and adjusts the transfer function, for at least one of the microphones of the several microphones, in response to determining that the current physical arrangement of the microphone array with respect to the loudspeaker has changed.

Abstract: A system including an audio source device having a first microphone and a first speaker for directing sound into an environment in which the audio source device is located and a wireless audio receiver device having a second microphone and a second speaker for directing sound into a user's ear. The audio source device is configured to 1) capture, using the firs microphone, speech of the user as a first audio signal, 2) reduce noise in the first audio signal to produce a speech signal, and 3) drive the first speaker with the speech signal. The wireless audio receiver device is configured to 1) capture, using the second microphone, a reproduction of the speech produced by the first speaker as a second audio signal and 2) drive the second speaker with the second audio signal to output the reproduction of the speech.

Abstract: A fin sealer and method to seal a radially outwardly directed fin of a tubular web structure by directing the fin through a nip between a first and a second fin sealing rollers while communicating heat to the fin through at least one of the fin sealing rollers is provided. The fin sealer is configured to maintain a nominal face-to-face relation between an outer annulus of the first fin sealing roller and an outer annulus of the second fin sealing roller with a flexible connection between a hub element of the second fin sealing roller with the outer annulus of the second fin sealing roller.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a fixed assembly and a reciprocating assembly. The fixed assembly includes a hopper, a first gas manifold, and a dispensing chamber, and the reciprocating assembly includes a channel assembly defining a channel conduit, a shield plate vertically aligned therewith, and a second gas manifold. The reciprocating assembly may move, in relation to the fixed assembly, to a first position to enable the channel conduit to be filled with bulk compressible material from the hopper, a second position to enable compressible material to be pushed from the channel conduit to the dispensing conduit and to be compressed in the dispensing chamber according to a first gas directed through the channel conduit by the first gas manifold, and a third position to enable the compressed material to be pushed out of the dispensing conduit according to a second gas directed through the dispensing conduit by the second gas manifold.

Abstract: A display system includes a head-mounted display unit and a detachable speaker unit. The head-mounted display unit outputs visual content to a user and provides a visual pass-through of a real environment to the user. The detachable speaker unit is detachably coupleable to the head-mounted display unit for providing aural content to the user. At least one of the visual content or the aural content is changed according to a position of the detachable speaker unit relative to the head-mounted display unit.

Abstract: In an illustrative system, a point-of-sale scanner is equipped to respond to multiple different symbologies printed on a single product. The scanner captures many frames per second, as products are swiped through a viewing volume. Each frame is decoded, yielding one or more payloads. A reconciliation module compares each newly-decoded payload against a list of payloads previously output by the module, to determine if the current payload is semantically-equivalent to a previously-output payload. If so, the previously-output payload is output again, in lieu of the just-decoded payload. If no equivalent is found, the current payload is output and added to the list for comparison against future payloads. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed.

Abstract: A two-layer optical beam steering device, system, method of utilization and method of fabrication are disclosed. The solid-state device enables beam steering in two dimensions with dramatically fewer control lines than prior devices. This renders the device more technically realizable, easier to control, and more affordable to manufacture. Because less data need be transferred to the device, the device is also able to operate at faster speeds.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring tobacco for packaging in pouches are disclosed. A system includes a hopper structured and arranged to hold a granular material in a hopper cavity. The system also includes a measuring system including a measuring cavity and a tube that is slidable in the hopper cavity between a first position unaligned with the measuring cavity and a second position over and aligned with the measuring cavity. The measuring system is configured to continuously communicate a vacuum to the measuring cavity. The measuring system is configured to move a portion of the granular material from the hopper cavity to the measuring cavity when the tube is in the first position. The measuring system is configured to move the portion of the granular material from the measuring cavity to a pouch making machine using pressurized gas that overcomes the vacuum when the tube is in the second position.

Abstract: A method for self-calibrating a sound pickup process that uses a microphone array in a wearable device that also includes a loudspeaker, where the microphone array being in a physical arrangement with respect to the loudspeaker. The method obtains, for each of several microphones of the microphone array, one or more transfer functions that each represent a response of the microphone to sound from a position in an acoustic space. The method determines whether a physical arrangement of the microphone array with respect to the loudspeaker has changed and adjusts the transfer function, for at least one of the microphones of the several microphones, in response to determining that the current physical arrangement of the microphone array with respect to the loudspeaker has changed.

Abstract: A method performed by a processor of an electronic device. The method presents a computer-generated reality (CGR) setting including a first user and several other users. The method obtains, from a microphone, an audio signal that contains speech of the first user. The method obtains, from a sensor, sensor data that represents a physical characteristic of the first user. The method determines, based on the sensor data, whether to initiate a private conversation between the first user and a second user of the other users, and in accordance with a determination to initiate the private conversation, initiates the private conversation by providing the audio signal to the second user.

Abstract: A method performed by a processor of a computer system including a headset that is to be worn on a head of a user. The method drives a speaker of the headset with an input audio signal to output sound into an environment. The method determines that the speaker is at least partially covered with a cupped hand. In response to determining that the speaker is at least partially covered with the cupped hand, applying a gain to the input audio signal to reduce an output sound level of the speaker.

Abstract: A display system includes a head-mounted display unit and a detachable speaker unit. The head-mounted display unit outputs visual content to a user and provides a visual pass-through of a real environment to the user. The detachable speaker unit is detachably coupleable to the head-mounted display unit for providing aural content to the user. At least one of the visual content or the aural content is changed according to a position of the detachable speaker unit relative to the head-mounted display unit.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for tamping the contents of a container are disclosed. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a tamp head for tamping the contents of the container; and a container support assembly structured and arranged to temporarily support the bottom surface of the container during tamping, the container support assembly comprising a support element having a protrusion extending upward from a substantially flat and horizontal upper surface, wherein the protrusion is sized and shaped to correspond to the size and shape of the bottom surface of the container.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a fixed assembly and a reciprocating assembly. The fixed assembly includes a hopper, a first gas manifold, and a dispensing chamber, and the reciprocating assembly includes a channel assembly defining a channel conduit, a shield plate vertically aligned therewith, and a second gas manifold. The reciprocating assembly may move, in relation to the fixed assembly, to a first position to enable the channel conduit to be filled with bulk compressible material from the hopper, a second position to enable compressible material to be pushed from the channel conduit to the dispensing conduit and to be compressed in the dispensing chamber according to a first gas directed through the channel conduit by the first gas manifold, and a third position to enable the compressed material to be pushed out of the dispensing conduit according to a second gas directed through the dispensing conduit by the second gas manifold.