Abstract: A foldable stringed instrument, for example in the form of a travel guitar that folds mid-neck to assume a reduced profile is described. The mid-neck folding is accomplished in a symmetrical manner about a three-part hinge located in the neck to configure the travel guitar into a reduced profile. The bridge assembly can be translated longitudinally relative to the head of the guitar to allow sufficient detensioning of the guitar strings to enable an upper portion of the neck to be folded away from a lower portion of the neck and/or body to assume a reduced profile. To deploy the travel guitar for playing, the upper portion of the neck is unfolded into alignment with the lower portion of the neck and/or body, and the bridge assembly translated longitudinally relative to the head and locked in position to allow the guitar to be tuned for playing.

Abstract: A foldable stringed instrument, for example in the form of a travel guitar that folds mid-neck to assume a reduced profile is described. The mid-neck folding is accomplished in a symmetrical manner about a three-part hinge located in the neck to configure the travel guitar into a reduced profile. The bridge assembly can be translated longitudinally relative to the head of the guitar to allow sufficient detensioning of the guitar strings to enable an upper portion of the neck to be folded away from a lower portion of the neck and/or body to assume a reduced profile. To deploy the travel guitar for playing, the upper portion of the neck is unfolded into alignment with the lower portion of the neck and/or body, and the bridge assembly translated longitudinally relative to the head and locked in position to allow the guitar to be tuned for playing.

Abstract: A foldable stringed instrument, for example in the form of a travel guitar that folds mid-neck to assume a reduced profile is described. The mid-neck folding is accomplished in a symmetrical manner about a three-part hinge located in the neck to configure the travel guitar into a reduced profile. The bridge assembly can be translated longitudinally relative to the head of the guitar to allow sufficient detensioning of the guitar strings to enable an upper portion of the neck to be folded away from a lower portion of the neck and/or body to assume a reduced profile. To deploy the travel guitar for playing, the upper portion of the neck is unfolded into alignment with the lower portion of the neck and/or body, and the bridge assembly translated longitudinally relative to the head and locked in position to allow the guitar to be tuned for playing.

Abstract: A temperature-regulating mattress system provides dynamic adjustment of temperature and other parameters throughout a user's sleep cycle to maximize the quality of the user's sleep, Features of the system may include: (a) heating and cooling temperature regulation (with dynamic custom profiles that control humidity and are dual-zone); (b) smart controls (with remotes and apps that learn from users to optimize settings and work with smart home products such as Alexa and interactive lighting systems); (c) comfort (with a mattress that provide the necessary support for its users); and (d) sensors used for temperature and humidity estimation algorithms, control mechanism, and additional inferences from those sensors (pose, enrichment of biometric sensing data, etc.).

Abstract: A foldable stringed instrument, for example in the form of a travel guitar that folds mid-neck to assume a reduced profile is described. The mid-neck folding is accomplished in a symmetrical manner about a three-part hinge located in the neck to configure the travel guitar into a reduced profile. The bridge assembly can be translated longitudinally relative to the head of the guitar to allow sufficient detensioning of the guitar strings to enable an upper portion of the neck to be folded away from a lower portion of the neck and/or body to assume a reduced profile. To deploy the travel guitar for playing, the upper portion of the neck is unfolded into alignment with the lower portion of the neck and/or body, and the bridge assembly translated longitudinally relative to the head and locked in position to allow the guitar to be tuned for playing.

Abstract: A foldable stringed instrument, for example in the form of a travel guitar that folds mid-neck to assume a reduced profile is described. The mid-neck folding is accomplished in a symmetrical manner about a three-part hinge located in the neck to configure the travel guitar into a reduced profile. The bridge assembly can be translated longitudinally relative to the head of the guitar to allow sufficient de-tensioning of the guitar strings to enable an upper portion of the neck to be folded away from a lower portion of the neck and/or body to assume a reduced profile. To deploy the travel guitar for playing, the upper portion of the neck is unfolded into alignment with the lower portion of the neck and/or body, and the bridge assembly translated longitudinally relative to the head and locked in position to allow the guitar to be tuned for playing.

Abstract: A foldable stringed instrument, for example in the form of a travel guitar that folds mid-neck to assume a reduced profile is described. The mid-neck folding is accomplished in a symmetrical manner about a three-part hinge located in the neck to configure the travel guitar into a reduced profile. The bridge assembly can be translated longitudinally relative to the head of the guitar to allow sufficient de-tensioning of the guitar strings to enable an upper portion of the neck to be folded away from a lower portion of the neck and/or body to assume a reduced profile. To deploy the travel guitar for playing, the upper portion of the neck is unfolded into alignment with the lower portion of the neck and/or body, and the bridge assembly translated longitudinally relative to the head and locked in position to allow the guitar to be tuned for playing.

Abstract: A temperature-regulating mattress system provides dynamic adjustment of temperature and other parameters throughout a user's sleep cycle to maximize the quality of the user's sleep, Features of the system may include: (a) heating and cooling temperature regulation (with dynamic custom profiles that control humidity and are dual-zone); (b) smart controls (with remotes and apps that learn from users to optimize settings and work with smart home products such as Alexa and interactive lighting systems); (c) comfort (with a mattress that provide the necessary support for its users); and (d) sensors used for temperature and humidity estimation algorithms, control mechanism, and additional inferences from those sensors (pose, enrichment of biometric sensing data, etc.).

Abstract: A card reader comprising a display configured to optionally graphically display a character; one or more sensors configured to receive user input, wherein the one or more sensors are configured to send one or more signals that modify and select the character; a microcontroller configured to process the user input, wherein the processing comprises modifying or selecting the character based on user input at the one or more sensors; and memory configured to store selected characters based on processing the user input.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, for a payment card reader comprising: a frame, where the frame includes a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface, a second side surface of the side surfaces on an opposite side of the frame from the first side surface, the first side surface including a groove configured to receive a swipe of a magnetic stripe card, the second side surface including a slot configured to receive insertion of a chip card; a magnetic stripe reader interface; a chip card reader interface; circuitry configured to direct signals from the magnetic stripe reader interface and the chip card reader interface to a microcontroller in the card reader; and circuitry configured to communicate wirelessly between the card reader and a computing device.

Abstract: A water bottle cap system combination that can be used with wide mouth water bottles or mason jars. The water bottle cap system includes a large cap portion and a small cap portion, which are coupled by a flexible strap. The small cap portion can be screwed onto the spout of the large cap portion, which is screwed onto the water bottle or mason jar. The small cap portion can be unscrewed from the spout and temporarily attached to the strap so that the small cap portion is out of the way of the spout, but still attached to the water bottle cap system, during drinking or pouring from the water bottle.

Abstract: A water bottle cap system combination that can be used with wide mouth water bottles or mason jars. The water bottle cap system includes a large cap portion and a small cap portion, which are coupled by a flexible strap. The small cap portion can be screwed onto the spout of the large cap portion, which is screwed onto the water bottle or mason jar. The small cap portion can be unscrewed from the spout and temporarily attached to the strap so that the small cap portion is out of the way of the spout, but still attached to the water bottle cap system, during drinking or pouring from the water bottle.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, for a payment card reader comprising: a frame, where the frame includes a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface, a second side surface of the side surfaces on an opposite side of the frame from the first side surface, the first side surface including a groove configured to receive a swipe of a magnetic stripe card, the second side surface including a slot configured to receive insertion of a chip card; a magnetic stripe reader interface; a chip card reader interface; circuitry configured to direct signals from the magnetic stripe reader interface and the chip card reader interface to a microcontroller in the card reader; and circuitry configured to communicate wirelessly between the card reader and a computing device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, for a payment card reader comprising: a frame, where the frame includes a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface, a second side surface of the side surfaces on an opposite side of the frame from the first side surface, the first side surface including a groove configured to receive a swipe of a magnetic stripe card, the second side surface including a slot configured to receive insertion of a chip card; a magnetic stripe reader interface; a chip card reader interface; circuitry configured to direct signals from the magnetic stripe reader interface and the chip card reader interface to a microcontroller in the card reader; and circuitry configured to communicate wirelessly between the card reader and a computing device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, for pairing a wireless card reader and a computing device, including: receiving first user input setting the wireless card reader in a pairing mode; sending an indication from the wireless card reader to the computing device that a pairing mode of the wireless card reader is enabled; receiving an indication from the computing device that a pairing mode of the computing device is enabled; receiving, in the wireless card reader, a second user input of a sequence of actuations of a sensor on the wireless card reader; determining, on the wireless card reader, whether the sequence of actuations matches a stored sequence; and in response to determining that the sequence of actuations matches a stored sequence, pairing the wireless card reader with the computing device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, for a payment card reader comprising: a frame, where the frame includes a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface, a second side surface of the side surfaces on an opposite side of the frame from the first side surface, the first side surface including a groove configured to receive a swipe of a magnetic stripe card, the second side surface including a slot configured to receive insertion of a chip card; a magnetic stripe reader interface; a chip card reader interface; circuitry configured to direct signals from the magnetic stripe reader interface and the chip card reader interface to a microcontroller in the card reader; and circuitry configured to communicate wirelessly between the card reader and a computing device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, for pairing a wireless card reader and a computing device, including: receiving first user input setting the wireless card reader in a pairing mode; sending an indication from the wireless card reader to the computing device that a pairing mode of the wireless card reader is enabled; receiving an indication from the computing device that a pairing mode of the computing device is enabled; receiving, in the wireless card reader, a second user input of a sequence of actuations of a sensor on the wireless card reader; determining, on the wireless card reader, whether the sequence of actuations matches a stored sequence; and in response to determining that the sequence of actuations matches a stored sequence, pairing the wireless card reader with the computing device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, for a payment card reader comprising: a frame, where the frame includes a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface, a second side surface of the side surfaces on an opposite side of the frame from the first side surface, the first side surface including a groove configured to receive a swipe of a magnetic stripe card, the second side surface including a slot configured to receive insertion of a chip card; a magnetic stripe reader interface; a chip card reader interface; circuitry configured to direct signals from the magnetic stripe reader interface and the chip card reader interface to a microcontroller in the card reader; and circuitry configured to communicate wirelessly between the card reader and a computing device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, for a payment card reader comprising: a frame, where the frame includes a top surface, a bottom surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface, a second side surface of the side surfaces on an opposite side of the frame from the first side surface, the first side surface including a groove configured to receive a swipe of a magnetic stripe card, the second side surface including a slot configured to receive insertion of a chip card; a magnetic stripe reader interface; a chip card reader interface; circuitry configured to direct signals from the magnetic stripe reader interface and the chip card reader interface to a microcontroller in the card reader; and circuitry configured to communicate wirelessly between the card reader and a computing device.