Abstract: The invention relates to medical implants, including spinal implants and bone grafts, for fixation and integration with hard tissue. The bone medical implants include at least one rotational fixation mechanism that further includes or is attached to one or more sharp protrusions configured to penetrate and become lodged into hard tissue to provide support and positional stability. Such support is useful to ensure that the spinal bone graft may be used without additional stabilizing or anchoring structures, such as supporting plates or screws.

Abstract: A filament assembly for mounting to a source assembly of a mass spectrometer, the filament assembly comprising a body having one of: an aperture to receive a corresponding spigot provided by a source assembly; or a spigot to be received in a corresponding aperture on a source assembly.

Abstract: A quality assurance device for a medical accelerator includes a housing having an inner radioluminescent layer adapted to provide a visual indication when contacted with invisible radiation generated by the medical accelerator. In addition, the quality assurance device includes one or more cameras located within the housing and adapted to image the inner radioluminescent layer of the housing including the visual indication.

Abstract: A control device for an HVAC system is provided. Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to control devices that facilitate adjustment of heating and cooling setpoints. In one embodiment, the control device allows for concurrent adjustment of the heating and cooling setpoints while maintaining a desired deadband value therebetween.

Abstract: A transfer line for a GCMS arrangement, the transfer line comprising: a transfer probe having a probe bore to receive a GC column; a sealing cap movably mounted at a first end of the transfer probe; and a resilient element arranged to bias the sealing cap away from the first end of the transfer probe.

Abstract: A quality assurance device for a medical accelerator includes a housing having an inner radioluminescent layer adapted to provide a visual indication when contacted with invisible radiation generated by the medical accelerator. In addition, the quality assurance device includes one or more cameras located within the housing and adapted to image the inner radioluminescent layer of the housing including the visual indication.

Abstract: A spinal bone graft includes one or more cortical bone portions forming a first unit. The first unit includes an engagement surface for contacting bone, and a mating surface. The mating surface forms at least one first undercut. The bone graft also includes one or more cortical bone portions forming a second unit. The second unit includes an engagement surface for contacting bone, and a mating surface. The mating surface forms either at least one second undercut, or at least one connector. In the former, at least one connector is received in each of the first and second undercuts to interconnect the first and second units. In the latter, the at least one connector of the second unit is received in the first undercut of the first unit to interconnect the first unit and second unit.

Abstract: A downhole tool has a directional pad that contacts a wellbore wall at a pad contact location and a drill bit with at least one active cutting element that contacts the wellbore wall at a cutting element contact location. A contact distance between the pad contact location and the cutting element contact location being 3 in. (7.6 cm) or less.

Abstract: Described are light emitting diode (LED) devices comprising a plurality of mesas defining pixels, each of the plurality of mesas comprising semiconductor layers, an N-contact material in a space between each of the plurality of mesas, a dielectric material which insulates sidewalls of the P-type layer and the active region from the metal. Each of the mesas is spaced so that there is a pixel pitch in a range of from 10 ?m to 100 ?m and dark space gap between adjacent edges of p-contact layer. The dark space gap may be less than 20% of the pixel pitch. The dark space gap may be in a range of from 4 ?m to 10 ?m.

Abstract: An example system includes a vehicle having a prime mover motively coupled to a drive line; a motor/generator selectively coupled to the drive line, and configured to selectively modulate power transfer between an electrical load and the drive line; a battery pack; a DC/DC converter electrically interposed between the motor/generator and the electrical load, and between the battery pack and the electrical load, the DC/DC converter comprising a DC/DC converter housing; and a covering tray positioned over a plurality of batteries of the battery pack, the covering tray comprising a connectivity layer configured to provide electrical connectivity to terminals of the plurality of batteries.

Abstract: In a general aspect, parametric amplification is performed in a quantum computing system. In some cases, a traveling wave parametric amplifier (TWPA) includes a plurality of Josephson junctions connected in series. The plurality of Josephson junctions includes a first Josephson junction, which includes a first superconducting electrode on a surface of a substrate, a second superconducting electrode that overlaps the first superconducting electrode, and a barrier sandwiched between overlapping sections of the first and second superconducting electrodes. The barrier defines a footprint with a tapered shape over the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A digital-currency-based method for vote counting includes a vote-counting procedure that includes steps of computing a number of newly-added votes based at least on an amount in a digital currency indicated by a piece of vote data, determining whether the piece of vote data was obtained during an ending portion, determining whether a voter identifier indicated by the piece of vote data has been recorded in at least a number N of data blocks when the piece of vote data was obtained during the ending portion, performing an adjustment procedure to adjust the number of newly-added votes when the voter identifier has been recorded in the number N of data blocks, reading a vote number, and computing a total number of votes based on the vote number and the number of newly-added votes.

Abstract: A shock absorbing structure of a racket contains: a head and an absorption member matingly contacting with an internal fence of the head. The absorption member is a hollowly tubular structure and covers the internal fence totally. When the head is made of carbon-fiber composite material, the absorption member is made of any one of Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE), Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR), rubber, Hydrogel, and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). When the head is made of metal or aluminum alloy, the absorption member is made of any one of Thermosetting Elastomers, Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE), Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR), rubber, Hydrogel, and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU). When the head and the absorption member are made of different materials, an amplitude of the head is different from an amplitude of the absorption member, and the head interferes the absorption member, thus absorbing vibration.

Abstract: A navigation system adapted to be installed on a vehicle includes an output device and a processing device. The processing device executes the following steps after determining a planned route: obtaining real-time image data and performing image recognition on the image data to identify at least one lane from the image data; obtaining a real-time positioning result that indicates a current location of the navigation system; based on the planned route and the positioning result, selecting a target lane that corresponds to a moving directive presented by the planned route; and controlling the output device to visually output a route indicator that indicates the target lane.

Abstract: A method, comprising: heating at a temperature of at least 90° C. for a time of at least 10 minutes and a pressure of at least one atmosphere: 1) a potassic framework silicate ore; 2) at least one material selected from the group consisting of an oxide, a hydroxide, and a carbonate of at least one of an alkaline earth metal and an alkali metal; and 3) water, thereby producing a first product; combining the first product with a source of a component to form a second product; and drying the second product to provide a composition comprising an MPM and the component, wherein the source of the component comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of KCl, a macronutrient source, a micronutrient source and a source of a beneficial element.

Abstract: A navigation system includes a processing unit connected to a storage device for fetching and executing a navigation program to: determine a planned route; obtain a real-time image and real-time positioning data indicating a current location of the system; perform image recognition on the image, and determine whether a specific object exists in the image; determine whether a route adjustment condition is met based on the planned route, the positioning data and result of the determination; and adjust the planned route when the route adjustment condition is met. The route adjustment condition includes that a meaning conveyed by the specific object is in conflict with the planned route.

Abstract: A distance sensing system includes a first electronic device and a second electronic device. A second processing unit of the second electronic device sends a wireless signal via a second short-range wireless communication unit. When a first processing unit of the first electronic device receives, via a first short-range wireless communication unit, the wireless signal from the second electronic device, the processing unit generates an estimated distance value indicating an estimated distance between the first electronic device and the second electronic device based on signal strength of the wireless signal. When the first processing unit of the first electronic device determines that the estimated distance value is less than a predetermined distance, the first processing unit outputs a notification via the first output unit, so as to send the notification to a user of the first electronic device when the second electronic device is close to the first electronic device.

Abstract: A distance sensing system includes a first electronic device and a second electronic device. A second processing unit of the second electronic device sends a wireless signal via a second short-range wireless communication unit. When a first processing unit of the first electronic device receives, via a first short-range wireless communication unit, the wireless signal from the second electronic device, the processing unit generates an estimated distance value indicating an estimated distance between the first electronic device and the second electronic device based on signal strength of the wireless signal. When the first processing unit of the first electronic device determines that the estimated distance value is less than a predetermined distance, the first processing unit outputs a notification via the first output unit, so as to send the notification to a user of the first electronic device when the second electronic device is close to the first electronic device.

Abstract: Described is a system and method for automatically switching between geographical data files that contain geographical content, in an onboard navigation system that utilizes a Voice Destination Entry (VDE) feature. The described embodiments determine, based on one or more VDE inputs from a user, if the currently-active geographical data file should be used to search for geographical item candidates, or if two or more geographical data files should be used. The described embodiments may produce a list of VDE candidates from which the user selects. The described embodiments may populate this list from one or more data files, depending on an evaluation of the VDE input from the user.

Abstract: A head suspension assembly for a disk drive includes a load beam and a laminated flexure that comprises a stainless steel layer, a copper trace layer, and a dielectric layer between the stainless steel layer and the copper trace layer. The laminated flexure includes a flexure tail that extends away from the load beam to a flexure tail terminal region. The copper trace layer includes a plurality of flexure bond pads in the flexure tail terminal region. The stainless steel layer includes a plurality of backing islands in the flexure tail terminal region. Each of the plurality of backing islands is aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of flexure bond pads. A noble metal layer is disposed on the plurality of backing islands.