Abstract: A fire suppression apparatus for fighting fires from a vehicle configured for flight is disclosed, comprising a foam and water held in separate containers aboard the vehicle that when mixed forms a fire retardant, a pump driven by an electric motor to pressurize the fire retardant, the pump including an air induction valve where air is drawn into a suction end of the pump and pressurized together with the fire retardant, and an aimable boom connected to the pump by a conduit, the boom including a nozzle on a distal end of the boom from which the pressurized fire retardant and air is dispensed toward a target.

Abstract: A method for controlling load dependent valve flow rate in a presence of an overrunning load in a bucket includes receiving a measured pressure from and/or to a hydraulic valve, and the hydraulic valve is coupled to an actuator coupled to the bucket. The method includes calculating a load pressure on the actuator based on the measured pressure. The method includes receiving a first valve command for actuating the actuator to lower the bucket, the first valve command being associated with a desired valve flow rate and a desired maximum speed of the actuator. The method includes providing a second valve command based on a last calculated load pressure before receiving the first valve command, wherein the second valve command adjusts a valve opening area of the hydraulic valve so that a speed of the actuator corresponds to a maximum speed of the actuator for the last calculated load pressure.

Abstract: A method for automatically adjusting the position of an implement of a lift assembly of a work vehicle includes receiving an input associated with raising a boom of the lift assembly relative to the ground, monitoring an implement angle relative to a target implement angle as the boom is being raised, and identifying an implement angle error relative to the target implement angle as the boom is moved following the target implement angle initially being reached. In addition, the method includes selecting a closed-loop control algorithm to control movement of the implement based at least in part on a sign of the implement angle error, wherein the closed-loop control algorithm corresponds to a closed-loop position control algorithm when the implement angle error is a positive implement angle error and a closed-loop velocity control algorithm when the implement angle error is a negative implement angle error.

Abstract: In some examples, the system includes a primary power domain having: a first ground; a first set of measurement devices coupled to the first ground and configured to be powered by at least one of a first set of power supplies; and a second set of measurement devices coupled to the first ground and configured to be powered by at least one of the first set of power supplies. In addition, the system includes at least two isolated secondary power domains coupled to the primary power domain, each having: a second ground different from the first ground; a transformer coupled to the primary power domain, to a second set of power supplies, and to the second ground; and a third set of measurement devices coupled to the second ground and configured to be powered by at least one of the second set of power supplies.

Abstract: Systems and methods for treating and rehabilitating animals are provided. The systems and methods include harnesses and related devices, including compresses and heating/icing devices. The devices further include and comprise features to enable the device to be contoured to and secured to an animal. Animals contemplated for use with devices and methods of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, canines and humans.

Abstract: A test and measurement system includes one or more high voltage sources having a voltage high enough to be dangerous to users, an instrument backplane, having one or more backplane double fault protected interlocks, a power signal, and one or more slots configured to accept one or more modules, and one or more processors configured to execute code that causes the one or more processors to: monitor one or more signals from the one or more backplane double fault protected interlocks; and without engaging any of the one or more high voltage sources, determine an operational state and faulted condition of each of the one or more backplane double fault protected interlocks, and check wiring of an interlock pathway between the test and measurement instrument and a user system.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a hydraulic control system for power loss prevention that includes at least one controller having a memory and a processor. The at least one controller is configured to determine an observed flow rate of hydraulic fluid at a hydraulic actuator based on an actuation speed of the hydraulic actuator. Additionally, the at least one controller may compare the observed flow rate to a commanded flow rate of the hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic actuator by a hydraulic pump of the hydraulic control system. Further, the at least one controller may adjust the commanded flow rate to a target flow rate in response to determining that a difference between the commanded flow rate and the observed flow rate is greater than a threshold value.

Abstract: A work vehicle includes a hydraulic shift control system that enables the work vehicle to smoothly change speeds during a shift and reduce abrupt changes. The hydraulic shift control system may predict undesirable scenarios associated with the abrupt changes. The hydraulic shift control system may utilize configuration data, feedback data (e.g., sensor data), and modeling data to estimate certain operation states and/or parameters, such as engine loads and hydraulic pressures. In response to determining that predicted values may exceed certain thresholds (e.g., maximum load or pressure), the hydraulic shift control system may perform proactive actions to prevent shifting that may cause undesirable outcomes for the work vehicle.

Abstract: A method for implementing load-dependent machine aggressiveness for vehicle functions of a work vehicle includes receiving, with one or more computing devices, load-related data associated with a load weight for an implement of a work vehicle, the implement being coupled to a boom of the work vehicle, and receiving, with the one or more computing devices, an operator-initiated input command associated with executing a vehicle function of the work vehicle. The method also includes determining, with the one or more computing devices, an output command for controlling the operation of at least one component of the work vehicle based at least in part on the load-related data and the input command, and controlling, with the one or more computing devices, the operation of the least one component based at least in part on the output command to execute the vehicle function.

Abstract: A method for estimating the weight of loads carried by implements may include controlling an implement subject to actual weighing conditions to lift a load and receiving an input indicative of a sensed force associated with lifting the load. The method may further include determining a correlation value indicative of a correlation between first and second force values for lifting a given load with the implement as a function of the actual weighing conditions and as a function of nominal weighing conditions, respectively, where at least one of the actual weighing conditions differs from at least one of the nominal weighing conditions. Furthermore, the method may include determining an adjusted force value for lifting the load based at least in part on the sensed force and the correlation value. Additionally, the method may include estimating the weight of the load based at least in part on the adjusted force value.

Abstract: A method for controlling load dependent valve flow rate in a presence of an overrunning load in a bucket includes receiving a measured pressure from and/or to a hydraulic valve, and the hydraulic valve is coupled to an actuator coupled to the bucket. The method includes calculating a load pressure on the actuator based on the measured pressure. The method includes receiving a first valve command for actuating the actuator to lower the bucket, the first valve command being associated with a desired valve flow rate and a desired maximum speed of the actuator. The method includes providing a second valve command based on a last calculated load pressure before receiving the first valve command, wherein the second valve command adjusts a valve opening area of the hydraulic valve so that a speed of the actuator corresponds to a maximum speed of the actuator for the last calculated load pressure.

Abstract: A method for estimating a weight of a load in a bucket of a work vehicle includes obtaining, via a controller, a speed of an actuator of a lift coupled to the bucket. The method also includes comparing, via the controller, the speed provided to an instantaneous command to a hydraulic valve coupled to the actuator. The method further includes estimating, via the controller, a hydraulic pressure drop across the hydraulic valve based on the comparison of the speed to the instantaneous command to estimate pressures in the cylinder. The method even further includes determining, via the controller, a hydraulic force of the actuator. The method still further includes estimating, via the controller, the weight of the load in the bucket of the work vehicle based on the estimated pressures in the actuator and the hydraulic force.

Abstract: A method for determining parallel lift feedforward control of a bucket of a work vehicle is provided. The method includes calculating a current stroke length of a bucket cylinder at a current moment based on a current bell crank plate angle and a current boom angle. The method includes predicting a future boom angle after a certain number of steps. The method further includes calculating a required bell crank plate angle from a learned cutting edge angle and the future boom angle. The method even further includes calculating a future stroke length of the bucket cylinder after the certain number of steps. The method yet further includes calculating an average speed command for bucket control based on the current stroke length and the future stroke length of the bucket cylinder. The method still further includes calculating a bucket cylinder control command based on the average speed command for bucket control.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are organic photosensitive devices including at least one exciton-blocking charge carrier filter. The filters comprise a mixture of at least one wide energy gap material and at least one electron or hole conducting material. As described herein, the novel filters simultaneously block excitons and conduct the desired charge carrier (electrons or holes).

Abstract: An embodiment of a fire suppression apparatus for fighting fires from an aerial vehicle is disclosed having a foam and water held in separate containers that when mixed forms a fire retardant in the separate water container, a pump driven by a first electric motor, the pump including an air induction valve positioned at the pump inlet where air and the fire retardant are drawn into the inlet and pressurized simultaneously by the pump, a primer pump driven by a second electric motor to prime the inlet with the fire retardant before starting the pump, an inverter to control startup of the first electric motor, and an aimable boom connected to the pump by a conduit, the boom including a nozzle on a distal end of the boom from which the pressurized water/foam/air fire retardant is dispensed toward a target. Vertical mount plates can attach the apparatus to opposite sides of the helicopter.

Abstract: A hydraulic control system for a work vehicle includes one or more processors configured to receive an indication of a pump flow provided by a pump of the hydraulic control system. The one or more processors are also configured to receive an additional indication of a current input position of an input device of the hydraulic control system. The one or more processors are further configured to apply a dynamic valve map to control a valve position of a valve of the hydraulic control system based on the pump flow and the current input position of the input device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are organic photosensitive optoelectronic device comprising a first layer comprising one or more of a first layer material, a second layer comprising one or more of a second layer material, and a third layer comprising one or more of a third layer material. The second layer may be dissolved in a semi-orthogonal solvent. The first layer and the third layer may be very slightly soluble or practically insoluble in the semi-orthogonal solvent.

Abstract: An embodiment of a fire suppression apparatus for fighting fires from an aerial vehicle is disclosed having a foam and water held in separate containers that when mixed forms a fire retardant in the separate water container, a pump driven by a first electric motor, the pump including an air induction valve positioned at the pump inlet where air and the fire retardant are drawn into the inlet and pressurized simultaneously by the pump, a primer pump driven by a second electric motor to prime the inlet with the fire retardant before starting the pump, an inverter to control startup of the first electric motor, and an aimable boom connected to the pump by a conduit, the boom including a nozzle on a distal end of the boom from which the pressurized water/foam/air fire retardant is dispensed toward a target. Vertical mount plates can attach the apparatus to opposite sides of the helicopter.

Abstract: A test and measurement instrument includes a current measurement device having an input to accept an electrical current for measurement, an output to pass an output current output from the current measurement device, a sense path through which the electrical current is measured, and an active bypass device to pass an amount of current from the input of the current measurement device to the output of the current measurement device without passing through the sense path. The active bypass device may be tuned to allow the current sense device to operate without bypass within a specific range of target current values. Some current measurement devices may include more than one active bypass circuits, each tuned for a different range of input current values.

Abstract: An animal lifting device and method is provided. In particular, a hip member and a chest member are provided that have handles thereon. The chest member and the hip member may be selectively interconnected to each other with an interconnection member. The chest member may include an upper portion, shoulder pads, a chest pad, a center cross member, and an adjustable strap. The hip member may include an upper portion, an adjustable sling, and adjustable straps.