Abstract: A method includes receiving a model of the material dispenser and, at a first characterization period of a material bead dispensing operation, communicating, to the material dispenser, a first characterization flow rate input. The method also includes, at a second characterization period of the material bead dispensing operation, communicating, to the material dispenser, a second characterization flow rate input. The method also includes generating, using at least one sensor, three-dimensional data associated with a material bead corresponding to the material bead dispensing operation. The method also includes characterizing at least one parameter of the model of the material dispenser using at least the first characterization flow rate input, the second characterization flow rate input, and the three-dimensional data associated with the material bead.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a model of the material dispenser and, at a first characterization period of a material bead dispensing operation, communicating, to the material dispenser, a first characterization flow rate input. The method also includes, at a second characterization period of the material bead dispensing operation, communicating, to the material dispenser, a second characterization flow rate input. The method also includes generating, using at least one sensor, three-dimensional data associated with a material bead corresponding to the material bead dispensing operation. The method also includes characterizing at least one parameter of the model of the material dispenser using at least the first characterization flow rate input, the second characterization flow rate input, and the three-dimensional data associated with the material bead.

Abstract: Systems and processes for operating an intelligent automated assistant are provided. In one example process a set of words including a grammatical error is received. The process can generate, using a neural network based on the set of words including the grammatical error and a reference set of words, a transformed set of words and further determine, based on the set of words including the grammatical error and the reference set of words, a reconstructed reference set of words. The process can also determine, based on a comparison of the transformed set of words and the reconstructed reference set of words, whether the transformed set of words is grammatically correct and provide an indication of whether the transformed set of words is grammatically correct to the neural network.

Abstract: Systems and processes for operating an intelligent automated assistant are provided. In one example process a set of words including a grammatical error is received. The process can generate, using a neural network based on the set of words including the grammatical error and a reference set of words, a transformed set of words and further determine, based on the set of words including the grammatical error and the reference set of words, a reconstructed reference set of words. The process can also determine, based on a comparison of the transformed set of words and the reconstructed reference set of words, whether the transformed set of words is grammatically correct and provide an indication of whether the transformed set of words is grammatically correct to the neural network.

Abstract: A protector for a cap having a crown and a bill, the crown comprising a front part and a rear part defining an interior cavity for the head of a wearer, the protector comprising a substantially rigid body having a front half-domed surface shaped to follow contours of the front part of the crown, a retaining element configured to extend from a first connection on a left side portion of the body around an outer front surface of the front part of the crown above the bill to a second connection on a right side portion of the body, the body and retaining element configured so the front surface of the body engages the outer rear surface of the rear part of the crown when the rear part is folded into the front part.

Abstract: Systems and processes for predictive text input are provided. In one example process, a text input can be received. The text input can be associated with an input context. A frequency of occurrence of an m-gram with respect to a subset of a corpus can be determined using a language model. The subset can be associated with a context. A weighting factor can be determined based on a degree of similarity between the input context and the context. A weighted probability of a predicted text given the text input can be determined based on the frequency of occurrence of the m-gram and the weighting factor. The m-gram can include at least one word in the text input and at least one word in the predicted text.

Abstract: Systems and processes for predictive text input are provided. In one example process, a text input can be received. The text input can be associated with an input context. A frequency of occurrence of an m-gram with respect to a subset of a corpus can be determined using a language model. The subset can be associated with a context. A weighting factor can be determined based on a degree of similarity between the input context and the context. A weighted probability of a predicted text given the text input can be determined based on the frequency of occurrence of the m-gram and the weighting factor. The m-gram can include at least one word in the text input and at least one word in the predicted text.

Abstract: A protector for a cap having a crown and a bill, the crown comprising a front part and a rear part defining an interior cavity for the head of a wearer, the protector comprising a substantially rigid body having a front half-domed surface shaped to follow contours of the front part of the crown, a retaining element configured to extend from a first connection on a left side portion of the body around an outer front surface of the front part of the crown above the bill to a second connection on a right side portion of the body, the body and retaining element configured so the front surface of the body engages the outer rear surface of the rear part of the crown when the rear part is folded into the front part.

Abstract: A circlet is defined as a compact angle representation expressing, at a given pixel comprised in the first image, the direction of change of pixel intensity. A method of locating a feature of interest includes the steps of: acquiring a first image of a feature of interest to a user; generating a learned circlet image from the first image; saving one or more sets of learned circlets corresponding to one or more selected probes; acquiring a second image of the feature of interest; generating a target circlet image from the second image; and correlating the learned circlet image and the target circlet image.

Abstract: A circlet is defined as a compact angle representation expressing, at a given pixel comprised in the first image, the direction of change of pixel intensity. A method of locating a feature of interest includes the steps of: acquiring a first image of a feature of interest to a user; generating a learned circlet image from the first image; saving one or more sets of learned circlets corresponding to one or more selected probes; acquiring a second image of the feature of interest; generating a target circlet image from the second image; and correlating the learned circlet image and the target circlet image.

Abstract: The system 10 of the preferred embodiment includes a structural subsystem 20 to provide both a stable platform and vibration isolation, a camera subsystem 30 to capture the image of a moving object when the object moves into a viewing area, a lighting subsystem 50 to illuminate a moving object, and a controller to selectively activate the lighting subsystem 50 to allow observation of the reflectance of complex objects under different conditions. The system 10 has been specifically designed for illuminating and capturing the image of a moving object, such as the connecting terminals (e.g., leads, ball grids, and pads) of packaged electronic components in a manufacturing facility. The system 10 may, however, be used to illuminate and capture the image of any suitable moving or non-moving object.

Abstract: The system 10 of the preferred embodiment includes a structural subsystem 20 to provide both a stable platform and vibration isolation, a camera subsystem 30 to capture the image of a moving object when the object moves into a viewing area, a lighting subsystem 50 to illuminate a moving object, and a controller to selectively activate the lighting subsystem 50 to allow observation of the reflectance of complex objects under different conditions. The system 10 has been specifically designed for illuminating and capturing the image of a moving object, such as the connecting terminals (e.g., leads, ball grids, and pads) of packaged electronic components in a manufacturing facility. The system 10 may, however, be used to illuminate and capture the image of any suitable moving or non-moving object.

Abstract: According to one of the preferred embodiments, the invention includes a machine vision system 110 for inspecting a moving object. The machine vision system 110 includes a camera subsystem 30 to capture the image of a moving object when the object moves into a viewing area, a lighting subsystem 12 to illuminate the moving object, and a controller 14 to control the camera subsystem and the lighting subsystem to effectively freeze and inspect the reflectance of the illumination by the moving object. The lighting subsystem includes light sources 16 arranged around the viewing area.

Abstract: A construct for heating a food item in a microwave oven includes a thermochromic ink. The thermochromic ink may be used alone or with other inks to create an impression of active heating, provide status information or instructions to the user, provide instructions about the use of the construct, provide information about a theme presented with the construct provide educational information, provide entertainment to a user, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: Used oil, such as automotive crankcase oil drainings from internal combustion engines, are pretreated by heating to above about 400.degree.-800.degree. F, and preferably between 600.degree.-750.degree. F, while an essentially liquid phase system is maintained at a pressure of between 500-3500 p.s.i.g., preferably between 2000-3500 p.s.i.g., for between 15-60 minutes, the contact time being even shorter at higher temperatures. A sludge which contains contaminants, such as insoluble degradation products, metallic compounds, and water, is separated preferably by centrifugation, leaving a substantially ashless oil ready for additional refinement to a high quality lubricating oil, or it may be used, per se, as a fuel oil.