Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to methods for creating a product package for a user using that take into account both static and dynamic loyalty criteria. The present invention is particularly adapted to utilization by sectors such as the agricultural industry where real time updates along a supply chain would be beneficial to suppliers and distributors.

Abstract: A substrate holder includes a base configured to receive a substrate; a cover configured to mateably engage with the base, the cover defining an opening formed by inner sidewalls; and a removable insert defining a surface, the removable insert being configured to be received within the opening of the cover. The removable insert includes a gasket; a projection coupled to the gasket; and at least two insert tabs extending from opposite sides of the removable insert, each insert tab being configured to engage with at least one of the inner sidewalls forming the opening of the cover.

Abstract: An occupant protection system may comprise an expandable curtain, expandable bladder and tether. The curtain may be configured to expand from a stowed state to a deployed state. In the deployed state, the curtain may comprise a transverse portion having a support side face and a rear side face. The bladder may be configured to expand from a stowed state to a deployed, wherein in the deployed state, the bladder comprises an occupant facing surface and a rear surface configured to face the support side face of the curtain. The tether may be attached at a first location to the bladder and at a second location such that in the deployed state of the curtain and bladder, the tether extends behind the rear side face of the curtain and frictionally engages the rear side face of the curtain, thereby creating a resistance to lateral movement of the bladder.

Abstract: A safety system for vehicle may include a restraint surface adjustment mechanism for adjusting at least one of a height or an angle of a restraint surface disposed under a vehicle seat during a collision and/or predicted collision in which the vehicle seat is facing in the direction of travel and/or the direction of the oncoming collision. The seat may comprise a bench seat including a first seating space and a second seating space. A first restraint surface adjustment mechanism may be associated with the first seating space and a second restraint surface adjustment mechanism may be associated with the second seating space. The restraint surface adjustment mechanism may include, for example, an inflatable bladder, a movable plate which rotates about an axis, or other restraint surface adjustment mechanisms that adjust at least one of the height, angle, or physical property (e.g., rigidity) of one or more restraint surfaces.

Abstract: A seat for a vehicle may include a seatback including one or more inflatable bladders that may be configured to deploy in response to a triggering signal indicative of a change of velocity, collision, or predicted collision event. As at least a portion of the back of an occupant of the seat pushes against a front surface of the seatback due to the event, the one or more inflatable bladders compress at least partially the comfortable foam or comfort material in the seatback and expedite engagement of the energy absorbing material.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant protection expandable bladder may comprise an initial expandable chamber, an occupant restraining expandable chamber and a releasable connection that is configured to connect the occupant restraining expandable chamber to the initial expandable chamber or to a vehicle. The vehicle occupant protection expandable bladder may be configured to be expanded from a stowed state to a deployed state in a vehicle. The deployed state may comprise a first phase in which gas flow from the initial expandable chamber to the occupant restraining expandable chamber is at least substantially restricted and a second phase in which gas flow from the initial expandable chamber to the occupant restraining chamber is unrestricted. The releasable connection may be configured to release the connection in the deployed state.

Abstract: A seat for a vehicle may include a seatback including one or more inflatable bladders that may be configured to deploy in response to a triggering signal indicative of a change of velocity, collision, or predicted collision event. As at least a portion of the back of an occupant of the seat pushes against a front surface of the seatback due to the event, the one or more inflatable bladders compress at least partially the comfortable foam or comfort material in the seatback and expedite engagement of the energy absorbing material.

Abstract: A side-impact crash structure for a vehicle seat may be positioned in the side wall of a passenger seat to reduce impact forces imparted to an occupant during a side collision. The side-impact crash structure for the vehicle seat may include energy absorbers positioned between the seating surface and the outer sidewall of the vehicle. The energy absorbers may be positioned to engage the shoulder and/or lower abdomen area of the passenger. The energy absorbers may be configured to absorb impact forces over a limited ride-down distance (the distance over which the deceleration occurs) to prevent injury to occupants.

Abstract: A sample holder includes a first member featuring a first retaining mechanism configured to retain a first substrate that includes a sample, a second member featuring a second retaining mechanism configured to retain a second substrate that includes a reagent medium, and an alignment mechanism connected to at least one of the first and second members, and configured to align the first and second members such that the sample contacts at least a portion of the reagent medium when the first and second members are aligned.

Abstract: There is described a method of balancing a multi-cell battery. An alignment distance for each cell of the multi-cell battery is determined. The alignment distance defines a change in charge quantity required to achieve a target alignment point, based on a current charge quantity of the cell. Based on the determined alignment distances, one or more unbalanced cells are identified. Each unbalanced cell is then balanced by adjusting its current charge quantity according to the alignment distances. In one embodiment, the target alignment point is a target state of charge. In another embodiment, the target alignment point is a target charge quantity.

Abstract: A safety system for vehicle may include a restraint surface adjustment mechanism for adjusting at least one of a height or an angle of a restraint surface disposed under a vehicle seat during a collision and/or predicted collision in which the vehicle seat is facing in the direction of travel and/or the direction of the oncoming collision. The seat may comprise a bench seat including a first seating space and a second seating space. A first restraint surface adjustment mechanism may be associated with the first seating space and a second restraint surface adjustment mechanism may be associated with the second seating space. The restraint surface adjustment mechanism may include, for example, an inflatable bladder, a movable plate which rotates about an axis, or other restraint surface adjustment mechanisms that adjust at least one of the height, angle, or physical property (e.g., rigidity) of one or more restraint surfaces.

Abstract: A sample holder includes a first member featuring a first retaining mechanism configured to retain a first substrate that includes a sample, a second member featuring a second retaining mechanism configured to retain a second substrate that includes a reagent medium, and an alignment mechanism connected to at least one of the first and second members, and configured to align the first and second members such that the sample contacts at least a portion of the reagent medium when the first and second members are aligned.

Abstract: Provided herein are devices and methods for securing microplates and/or microplates comprising tube strips. The devices provided herein may use a magnetic force to secure the microplates and/or the tube strips during heat sealing of wells or tubes.

Abstract: A system includes at least two base stations that emit light beams to illuminate an area for positional tracking objects in the area. A base station emits at least two light beams that rotate around a rotation axis at a rotational speed unique to the base station. Responsive to being illuminated by the light beams emitted by the at least two base stations, an object being tracked generates illumination data. The system determines which illumination data corresponds to one of multiple base stations by analyzing the illumination data over time. The system analyzes the illumination data corresponding to one base station to determine an orientation and/or position of the object relative to that base station.

Abstract: Systems described herein use outside-in positional tracking. A base station emits one or more rotational light beams to illuminate a local area. The rotational light beams rotate around a rotation axis and are used for positional tracking one or more objects in the local area. The one or more rotational light beams retroreflect from the one or more objects in the local area. The one or more objects include retroreflectors that retroreflect light beams incident on them. The base station detects the retroreflected light beams. The base station generates illumination data in response to the detected light beams. A system analyzes the illumination to determine an orientation and/or a location of an object.

Abstract: Systems described herein use outside-in positional tracking. A base station emits one or more rotational light beams to illuminate a local area. The rotational light beams rotate around a rotation axis and are used for positional tracking of one or more objects in the local area. A beam waist of a source light beam for generating the rotational light beams is positioned to be within a distance range from a center of rotation of the rotational light beams. An apparent frequency of the particular rotational light beam can be constant or substantially constant throughout a local area. Because the apparent frequency of the particular rotational light beam is constant or substantially constant throughout the local area, the frequency response of a detector in response to the illumination by the rotational light beam is within a limited range of values irrespective of the detector's location within the local area.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to methods for creating a product package for a user using that take into account both static and dynamic loyalty criteria. The present invention is particularly adapted to utilization by sectors such as the agricultural industry where real time updates along a supply chain would be beneficial to suppliers and distributors.