Abstract: A portable ion mobility spectrometry apparatus (1) for detecting an aerosol and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises an ion mobility spectrometer (3); a portable power source (5) carried by the apparatus for providing power to the apparatus (1); an inlet (7) for collecting a flow of air to be tested by the spectrometer (3); a heater (4) configured to heat the air to be tested to vaporize an aerosol carried by the air and a controller (2) configured to control the spectrometer (3) to obtain samples from the heated air, wherein the controller is configured to increase a heat output from the heater (4) for a selected time period before obtaining samples from the heated air.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a write request to write a current data block to a Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) storage device. In response, the current data block is written to a current physical block in an open zone of the SMR storage device. A corresponding copy of the current data block is written to a nonvolatile memory. A determination is made of whether a wandering write error occurred during the writing of the data to the open zone. In response to the wandering write error occurring, for each of the number of written physical blocks in the open zone that have the corresponding copy in the nonvolatile memory, the data in the physical block is validated using the corresponding copy. In response to validation, the data in the corresponding copy is written as corrected data for the physical block to a new zone in the SMR storage device.

Abstract: A storage system writes an object across zones of a set of zones (“zone set”). Each zone of a zone set is contributed from an independently accessible storage medium. To create a zone set, the storage system arbitrarily selects disks to contribute a zone for membership in the zone set. This results in a fairly even distribution of zone sets throughout the storage system, which increases fault tolerance of the storage system. Although disk selection for zone set membership is arbitrary, the arbitrary selection can be from a pool of disks that satisfy one or more criteria (e.g., health or activity based criteria). In addition, weights can be assigned to disks to influence the arbitrary selection. Although manipulating the arbitrary selection with weights or by reducing the pool of disks reduces the arbitrariness, this evenly distributes zone sets while accounting for client demand and/or disk health.

Abstract: A vehicle has a trailer backup steering input apparatus, a trailer backup assist control module coupled to the a trailer backup steering input apparatus, and an electric power assist steering system coupled to the trailer backup assist control module and. The trailer backup steering input apparatus is configured for outputting a trailer path curvature signal approximating a desired curvature for a path of travel of a trailer towably coupled to the vehicle. The trailer backup assist control module is configured for determining vehicle steering information as a function of the trailer path curvature signal. The electric power assist steering system is configured for controlling steering of steered wheels of the vehicle as a function of the vehicle steering information.

Abstract: During operation, a facility may utilize many sensors, such as cameras, to generate sensor data. Some of these sensors may be housed within protective enclosures. The enclosures may be inside specially controlled environments, such as refrigerators, freezers, and so forth. During operation of the facility, moisture may accumulate on these enclosures, impairing the ability of the camera to acquire an image through the window. Described are devices to selectively heat a viewable area of the window such that moisture accumulation is reduced with minimal power use.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides variant Pol6 polymerase polypeptides, compositions comprising the Pol6 variant polypeptides, and methods for using the variant Pol6 polypeptides for determining the sequencing of nucleic acids, for example, by nanopore sequencing. The variant Pol6 polymerases possess decreased rates of dissociation of template from the polymerase-template complex, which result in increased processivity relative to the parental Pol6 polypeptides from which they are derived.

Abstract: A portable ion mobility spectrometry apparatus (1) for detecting an aerosol and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus comprises an ion mobility spectrometer (3); a portable power source (5) carried by the apparatus for providing power to the apparatus (1); an inlet (7) for collecting a flow of air to be tested by the spectrometer (3); a heater (4) configured to heat the air to be tested to vapourise an aerosol carried by the air and a controller (2) configured to control the spectrometer (3) to obtain samples from the heated air, wherein the controller is configured to increase a heat output from the heater (4) for a selected time period before obtaining samples from the heated air.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel cleaning compositions that are substantially free of cocamide diethanolamine. In an aspect of the invention, the compositions utilize a surfactant system and coupling agents as a replacement for the rheology modifier cocamide diethanolamine. The combination of a surfactant system and coupling agents can be used as a replacement for traditional rheology modifiers and foaming agents which are under regulatory pressure while providing concentrated liquid cleaning compositions with a viscosity of 400 cps or less. In another aspect the invention relates to novel cleaning compositions such as pot and pan soaking compositions, dishwashing compositions, food and beverage foaming cleaners, vehicle cleaning and the like suitable for use in hard water, which can be solid or liquid. The invention further relates to methods of making these compositions, and to methods employing these compositions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel cleaning compositions that are substantially free of cocamide diethanolamine. In an aspect of the invention, the compositions utilize a surfactant system and coupling agents as a replacement for the rheology modifier cocamide diethanolamine. The combination of a surfactant system and coupling agents can be used as a replacement for traditional rheology modifiers and foaming agents which are under regulatory pressure while providing concentrated liquid cleaning compositions with a viscosity of 400 cps or less. In another aspect the invention relates to novel cleaning compositions such as pot and pan soaking compositions, dishwashing compositions, food and beverage foaming cleaners, vehicle cleaning and the like suitable for use in hard water, which can be solid or liquid. The invention further relates to methods of making these compositions, and to methods employing these compositions.

Abstract: An inlet manifold arrangement is disclosed for a four-stroke internal combustion engine having at least one working cylinder with inlet valves and outlet valves and an inlet manifold assembly. The inlet manifold assembly has a flow direction for fluid (such as a fuel-air mixture) in the inlet direction, and an end section near an air filter device. The manifold assembly also has a throttle valve arrangement and a non-return valve which blocks in the direction opposite to the flow direction. The non-return valve is situated, in relation to the flow direction, between the end section of the inlet manifold assembly and the throttle valve arrangement.

Abstract: The visual similarity between fonts is determined using visual descriptors of character images in the fonts. A model used to generate the visual descriptors may include a set of letterforms, keypoint locations on each letterform, and detail shapes at zero, one, or more detail areas on the letterform. In some instances, the model may also set forth one or more geometric measurements. Based on the model, a visual descriptor may be generated for a character image from a font by identifying a letterform of the character image, identifying keypoint locations on the character image, and identifying a detail shape at any detail areas on the character image. Additionally, the visual descriptor may include any geometric measurement defined by the model. The visual similarity between two fonts may be determined as a function of the differences between pairs of visual descriptors for the fonts that correspond with the same letterform.

Abstract: A protective harness for a fully-rigged fishing rod during transport and/or storage, comprised of two hollow tubes that are closed at one end and open on the other end. The tubes are connected by an elastic cord attached near the open end of each tube. One tube slides over the upper (tip) portion of the rod, and the other tube slides over the lower (handle) portion of the rod, with the elastic cord stretching between the two tubes and maintaining tension, thus creating a protective harness that adheres to the fishing rod. This easy-on easy-off protective harness may be used on a one-piece or a multiple-piece fishing rod while it is fully rigged with tackle, acting as a lure guard as well as a rod protector. The tubes may be transparent to maximize viewing of the contents. When not in use, the tubes nest inside one another for convenient storage.

Abstract: A volumetric metering system for metering a product in an agricultural machine includes a roller element, a drive mechanism configured to rotationally drive the roller element to convey the product along a conveyance path to a product receiving component, and a guide element disposed on a side of the roller element. The guide element is configured to guide the product along the conveyance path, and is biased towards the roller element.

Abstract: Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure describe query classification to identify appropriateness of a query. A query may be received by at least one processing device. A deep neural network (DNN) model may be applied to evaluate the query. A vector representation may be generated for query based on application of the DNN model, where the DNN model is trained to classify queries according to a plurality of categories of appropriateness. The DNN model may be utilized to classify the query in a category of appropriateness based on analysis of the vector representation. In one example, auto-complete suggestions for the query may be filtered based on the classification of the category of appropriateness. In another example, classification of the query may be provided to an entry point. In yet another example, a response to the query is managed based on the classification of the query. Other examples are also described.

Abstract: A vehicle storage convenience shelf, comprising: a rectangular frame having a longitudinal axis, and first and second generally parallel spaced-apart edges extending along said longitudinal axis; wherein, front side of the generally parallel spaced-apart edges have more height than the rear side of the generally parallel spaced-apart edges; a blocking flange or lip type extension joined to the front side of the rectangular frame; and a support flange joined to the rear edge of the shelf top or rectangular frame.

Abstract: A system for capturing aerial images, the system comprising at least one camera unit, the at least one camera unit comprising at least one detail camera, the pointing direction of the at least one detail camera time-multiplexed via a steerable mirror to implement a virtual array of cameras with overlapping fields of view, thereby to allow the at least one detail camera to capture an extended field of view.

Abstract: A system for capturing aerial images, the system comprising four steerable detail camera modules, each steerable detail camera module comprising a detail camera and a beam-steering mechanism in an optical path of the detail camera module whereby the pointing direction of the detail camera is time-multiplexed to provide a wider effective field of view, the beam-steering mechanism comprising a first steerable mirror.

Abstract: A system for capturing aerial images, the system comprising four steerable detail camera modules, each steerable detail camera module comprising a detail camera and a beam-steering mechanism in an optical path of the detail camera module whereby the pointing direction of the detail camera is time-multiplexed to provide a wider effective field of view, the beam-steering mechanism comprising a first steerable mirror.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel cleaning compositions that are substantially free of cocamide diethanolamine. In an aspect of the invention, the compositions utilize a surfactant system and coupling agents as a replacement for the rheology modifier cocamide diethanolamine. The combination of a surfactant system and coupling agents can be used as a replacement for traditional rheology modifiers and foaming agents which are under regulatory pressure while providing concentrated liquid cleaning compositions with a viscosity of 400 cps or less. In another aspect the invention relates to novel cleaning compositions such as pot and pan soaking compositions, dishwashing compositions, food and beverage foaming cleaners, vehicle cleaning and the like suitable for use in hard water, which can be solid or liquid. The invention further relates to methods of making these compositions, and to methods employing these compositions.

Abstract: A volumetric metering system for metering a product in an agricultural machine is presented. In one example, the volumetric metering system comprises a roller element, a drive mechanism configured to rotationally drive the roller element to convey the product along a conveyance path to a product receiving component, and a guide element disposed on a side of the roller element. The guide element is configured to guide the product along the conveyance path, and is biased towards the roller element.