Abstract: Disclosed is a rigidity measuring device comprising an arm. The arm includes a rail and a base connected to the rail. The rail includes a limit switch, and the base includes a load cell. Also, disclosed is a rigidity measuring device comprising an arm and a processor. The arm includes a rail and a base connected to the rail. The rail includes a limit switch, and the base includes a load cell. The processor electronically connects to the limit switch and the load cell.

Abstract: In a general aspect, an apparatus configured for attachment to a vehicle can include: an alignment mechanism configured, as result of movement of the vehicle relative to a plant stalk, to place the plant stalk in a known position relative to the apparatus; a deflection mechanism configured, as result of at least one of the movement of the vehicle relative to the plant stalk or rotational movement of the deflection mechanism, to move the plant stalk from the known position to a deflected position, the deflected position being a distance from the known position; and a force sensor configured to determine an amount of force applied to move the plant stalk from the known position to the deflected position.

Abstract: A display stand connector can include a first part including a body member for attachment to a first part of a display stand and a protuberance extending from at least one surface of the body member. A second part of the display stand connector can include a base for attachment to a second part of the display stand, the base including a slot. The body member of the first part is locatable within the slot so as to connect the first and second parts of the display stand. The display stand connector is made from a pulp material.

Abstract: Certain disclosed method embodiments concern performing a stalk puncture test to determine force and displacement data. Plant features, such as rind thickness, stalk radius, stalk diameter, section modulus and/or integrative puncture score, primarily applicable to corn, sorghum, sunflower, wheat or rice, can be calculated using the force and displacement data. The calculated plant features are used to select plants for selective breeding to produce lodging-resistant crop hybrids. The present invention also provides embodiments of a hand-held puncture device that can be used to practice disclosed method embodiments.

Abstract: A display stand connector can include a first part including a body member for attachment to a first part of a display stand and a protuberance extending from at least one surface of the body member. A second part of the display stand connector can include a base for attachment to a second part of the display stand, the base including a slot. The body member of the first part is locatable within the slot so as to connect the first and second parts of the display stand. The display stand connector is made from a pulp material.

Abstract: An information-technology (IT) blueprint is an executable document that, when executed, can be used to create an IT application such as an e-commerce site. An IT lifecycle blueprint can further be used to manage (e.g., modify) and, ultimately, destroy such an IT application. To this end, an IT lifecycle blueprint can include idempotent methods that achieve the same result whether starting from a blank (real or virtual) infrastructure or from a previously populated infrastructure. In other words, the same method that created an IT application can be used to modify it. A request for a post-deployment modification can be made using a topological representation of a blueprint and highlighting the representations of components to which a selected modification could be applied.

Abstract: An information-technology (IT) blueprint is an executable document that, when executed, can be used to create an IT application such as an e-commerce site. An IT lifecycle blueprint can further be used to manage (e.g., modify) and, ultimately, destroy such an IT application. To this end, an IT lifecycle blueprint can include idempotent methods that achieve the same result whether starting from a blank (real or virtual) infrastructure or from a previously populated infrastructure. In other words, the same method that created an IT application can be used to modify it. A request for a post-deployment modification can be made using a topological representation of a blueprint and highlighting the representations of components to which a selected modification could be applied.

Abstract: In a general aspect, a method can include measuring at least one electrical property of a growing plant material using a plurality of electrodes to electromagnetically interrogate the growing plant material. The method can further include, based on the measured at least one electrical property, assessing at least one physical condition of the growing plant material.

Abstract: Certain disclosed method embodiments concern performing a stalk puncture test to determine force and displacement data. Plant features, such as rind thickness, stalk radius, stalk diameter, section modulus and/or integrative puncture score, primarily applicable to corn, sorghum, sunflower, wheat or rice, can be calculated using the force and displacement data. The calculated plant features are used to select plants for selective breeding to produce lodging-resistant crop hybrids. The present invention also provides embodiments of a hand-held puncture device that can be used to practice disclosed method embodiments.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for determining flexural rigidity of a plant. The apparatus includes a base and support hingedly coupled thereto. A contact element on the support engages the stem of plant. Force and angular displacement data are collected. Flexural rigidity of the plant stem is determined.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for determining flexural rigidity of a plant. The apparatus includes a base and support hingedly coupled thereto. A contact element on the support engages the stem of plant. Force and angular displacement data are collected. Flexural rigidity of the plant stem is determined.

Abstract: An information-technology (IT) blueprint is an executable document that, when executed, can be used to create an IT application such as an e-commerce site. An IT lifecycle blueprint can further be used to manage (e.g., modify) and, ultimately, destroy such an IT application. To this end, an IT lifecycle blueprint can include idempotent methods that achieve the same result whether starting from a blank (real or virtual) infrastructure or from a previously populated infrastructure. In other words, the same method that created an IT application can be used to modify it. A request for a post-deployment modification can be made using a topological representation of a blueprint and highlighting the representations of components to which a selected modification could be applied.

Abstract: An information-technology (IT) blueprint is an executable document that, when executed, can be used to create an IT application such as an e-commerce site. An IT lifecycle blueprint can further be used to manage (e.g., modify) and, ultimately, destroy such an IT application. To this end, an IT lifecycle blueprint can include idempotent methods that achieve the same result whether starting from a blank (real or virtual) infrastructure or from a previously populated infrastructure. In other words, the same method that created an IT application can be used to modify it. A request for a post-deployment modification can be made using a topological representation of a blueprint and highlighting the representations of components to which a selected modification could be applied.

Abstract: A hydrophone has a pair of end caps each disposed on a different open end of an air-backed cylinder of a piezoelectric ceramic material. An electrode or lead extends through one of the end caps and into the cylinder, and has a shape and a lateral width that extends across an interior of the cylinder and abuts an inner surface of the cylinder at multiple points.

Abstract: A power management system that can include an application processor and a power management unit (PMU). The PMU can generate a regulated output voltage based on control signals generated by a switch control module of the application processor. The control signals can be determined based on a comparison of monitored voltages within the application processor and a generated reference voltage. The reference voltage can be generated based on fed back signals corresponding to the control signals. The application processor and the PMU can be formed utilizing different size manufacturing process technologies. For example, the PMU can be formed utilizing a larger size manufacturing process technology than the application processor.

Abstract: A scroll-free user interface comprises a display area; an interface panel included within the display area; and a data panel. The data panel includes a portion of a set of data items. The size and number of data items in the portion of the set of items is based on the size of the data panel. A user interface comprises a display area; an interface panel included within the display area; a first user interface control; and a layered user interface element. Web pages are analyzed to identify associated electronic documents. A retrieved web page is analyzed to identify at least one dynamic element. The dynamic element is analyzed to determine a network location of at least one associated electronic document. The dynamic element may be analyzed by applying a pattern matching or by executing the dynamic element to identify the network location of at least one associated electronic document.

Abstract: A power management system that can include an application processor and a power management unit (PMU). The PMU can generate a regulated output voltage based on control signals generated by a switch control module of the application processor. The control signals can be determined based on a comparison of monitored voltages within the application processor and a generated reference voltage. The reference voltage can be generated based on fed back signals corresponding to the control signals. The application processor and the PMU can be formed utilizing different size manufacturing process technologies. For example, the PMU can be formed utilizing a larger size manufacturing process technology than the application processor.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for generating descriptions of matching resources in a manner that takes into account the kind, quality, and relevance of the available sources of information about the matching resources. For example, after the search engine identifies matching resources based on the query terms, the search engine determines the kinds of available sources of information about each matching resource. For each matching resource, based on the kinds of available sources of information about the matching resource, one of a plurality of processes is selected to generate a description for the matching resource. Using the content-sensitive description generation techniques described herein, a single result set may include abstracts that were generated using several different processes, where the difference in process corresponds to a difference in the kind, quality, and relevance of the available sources of information about each matching resource.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for generating descriptions of matching resources in a manner that takes into account the kind, quality, and relevance of the available sources of information about the matching resources. For example, after the search engine identifies matching resources based on the query terms, the search engine determines the kinds of available sources of information about each matching resource. For each matching resource, based on the kinds of available sources of information about the matching resource, one of a plurality of processes is selected to generate a description for the matching resource. Using the content-sensitive description generation techniques described herein, a single result set may include abstracts that were generated using several different processes, where the difference in process corresponds to a difference in the kind, quality, and relevance of the available sources of information about each matching resource.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for generating descriptions of matching resources in a manner that takes into account the kind, quality, and relevance of the available sources of information about the matching resources. For example, after the search engine identifies matching resources based on the query terms, the search engine determines the kinds of available sources of information about each matching resource. For each matching resource, based on the kinds of available sources of information about the matching resource, one of a plurality of processes is selected to generate a description for the matching resource. Using the content-sensitive description generation techniques described herein, a single result set may include abstracts that were generated using several different processes, where the difference in process corresponds to a difference in the kind, quality, and relevance of the available sources of information about each matching resource.