Abstract: Particulate aerogel material kit for grip enhancement, and related systems and methods, are generally described. Certain embodiments are related to interfaces comprising human skin, a layer of particulate aerogel material, and a solid surface. Methods of creating such interfaces, packaging the particulate aerogel material, and applications thereof (including kits for grip enhancement) are also described.

Abstract: Particulate aerogel material kit for grip enhancement, and related systems and methods, are generally described. Certain embodiments are related to interfaces comprising human skin, a layer of particulate aerogel material, and a solid surface. Methods of creating such interfaces, packaging the particulate aerogel material, and applications thereof (including kits for grip enhancement) are also described.

Abstract: Particulate aerogel material kit for grip enhancement, and related systems and methods, are generally described. Certain embodiments are related to interfaces comprising human skin, a layer of particulate aerogel material, and a solid surface. Methods of creating such interfaces, packaging the particulate aerogel material, and applications thereof (including kits for grip enhancement) are also described.

Abstract: The present invention surrounds the application of a substance to a sports ball, such as silica silylate, for the purposes of increasing grip and hydrophobicity. Disclosed are inventions surrounding the method, the system, and the apparatus for the treatment of a sports ball or other objects which a user desires to treat with a substance to achieve certain results in relation to the substance applied.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a nudge game are disclosed. An example method may include collecting an amount of funds using a cash station, wherein the cash station is operatively associated with a central server, the central server including a nudge game application and a central accounting system. The method may further include reporting the amount of funds to the central accounting system, depositing the amount of funds in a user account by the central accounting system, presenting the nudge game application using a nudge game station, allowing play of a nudge game of the nudge game application if the user account contains a requisite amount of funds, producing a resultant amount of funds upon completion of an iteration of the nudge game, and depositing the resultant amount of funds in the user account.

Abstract: A system and method of providing a sweepstakes associated with a commercial application including generating a series of sweepstakes tickets, each ticket having a par value and is assigned a prize value, wherein the sum of the par values of the series of sweepstakes tickets is equal to the sum of the prize values of the sweepstakes tickets, assigning one or more sweepstakes tickets to a user, determining the value of the one or more sweepstakes tickets assigned to the user, and notifying, using a display, the user of the value of the one or more sweepstakes tickets assigned to the user.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of systems and methods for controlling a voltage profile delivered to a load in an electric power system. According to various embodiments, an electric power system may include an electric power line, a variable tap transformer, and a capacitor bank. The variable tap transformer may include a plurality of tap positions. A tap change controller may be coupled with the variable tap transformer and may control the tap positions of the variable tap transformer. A capacitor bank controller may be coupled with the capacitor bank and may selectively couple the capacitor bank to the electric power line. The tap change controller and the capacitor bank controller may share system information related to the voltage profile along the electric power line and to change the voltage profile along the line using the variable tap transformer and the capacitor bank depending on the system information.

Abstract: A system and method of integrating a penny auction and a sweepstakes includes presenting a split screen view to a user, with the split screen view containing a first portion and a second portion, the first portion displaying a penny auction and the second portion displaying a sweepstakes game, and receiving a request from the user to purchase one or more bids for use on the penny auction in the first portion of the split screen view. Based on the received request, the user is awarded one or more entries for the sweepstakes in the second portion of the split screen display.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of systems and methods for controlling a voltage profile delivered to a load in an electric power system. According to various embodiments, an electric power system may include an electric power line, a variable tap transformer, and a capacitor bank. The variable tap transformer may include a plurality of tap positions. A tap change controller may be coupled with the variable tap transformer and may control the tap positions of the variable tap transformer. A capacitor bank controller may be coupled with the capacitor bank and may selectively couple the capacitor bank to the electric power line. The tap change controller and the capacitor bank controller may share system information related to the voltage profile along the electric power line and to change the voltage profile along the line using the variable tap transformer and the capacitor bank depending on the system information.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of systems and methods for controlling a voltage profile delivered to a load in an electric power system. According to various embodiments, an electric power system may include an electric power line, a variable tap transformer, and a capacitor bank. The variable tap transformer may include a plurality of tap positions. A tap change controller may be coupled with the variable tap transformer and may control the tap positions of the variable tap transformer. A capacitor bank controller may be coupled with the capacitor bank and may selectively couple the capacitor bank to the electric power line. The tap change controller and the capacitor bank controller may share system information related to the voltage profile along the electric power line and to change the voltage profile along the line using the variable tap transformer and the capacitor bank depending on the system information.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various embodiments of systems and methods for controlling a voltage profile delivered to a load in an electric power system. According to various embodiments, an electric power system may include an electric power line, a variable tap transformer, and a capacitor bank. The variable tap transformer may include a plurality of tap positions. A tap change controller may be coupled with the variable tap transformer and may control the tap positions of the variable tap transformer. A capacitor bank controller may be coupled with the capacitor bank and may selectively couple the capacitor bank to the electric power line. The tap change controller and the capacitor bank controller may share system information related to the voltage profile along the electric power line and to change the voltage profile along the line using the variable tap transformer and the capacitor bank depending on the system information.

Abstract: A system and method for evaluating workload units in a computer system whereby each workload unit is assigned an impact number representing the number of days that the expiration date of a computer system would be changed if the workload unit were to be added or removed from the system with all other workload units remaining the same. Each workload unit may be assigned a different number for each system in the environment. The inventive system and method simplify the task of combining multidimensional workload measures and incorporate the interaction with other workload units in the system by assessing the impact on both a donor and a recipient computer systems' expiration dates. Thus, the invention provides a more robust way to measure the effect of moving workload units between systems to result in a better allocation of work amongst computer systems in a processing environment.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program for managing multi-tiered resource systems, such as Storage Area Networks (SANs). Resource tiers in the resource system are examined to if they are in compliance with a management policy. If a resource tier is not in compliance with the management policy, a processing operation automatically increases available capacity in containers in order to bring the containers in compliance with the management policy. The management policy may, for example, include a requirement that an expiration date of the resource tier occur after a maintenance date.

Abstract: A mobile waste gasification system comprised of a container, at least one gasification chamber, and a produced fuel gas combustion chamber, and may include a control room. Waste material is loaded into a suspended mesh liner that is offset away from the walls of the gasification chamber, thereby increasing the surface area of waste materials that are exposed to gasification conditions, and thus decreasing gasification temperature, time, and cooling period between subsequent gasification procedures. Process gas and supplemental flaring gases are preferably comprised of an oxygen or hydrogen rich gas. Produced fuel gases are withdrawn from the gasification chamber and into the produced fuel gas combustion chamber. The produced fuel gas combustion chamber may be comprised of a maze ignition chamber for the flaring of said fuel gases. Alternatively, the fuel chamber may be comprised of a gas accumulation tank that stores the produced fuel gas.

Abstract: A gasification system that includes a gasification reactor chamber having perforated conduits or an inner lining that increases the exposed surface area of waste materials to gasification conditions, thereby decreasing gasification temperature, time, and cooling period between subsequent gasification procedures. After an aspirator withdraws and oxidizes fuel gas from the gasification reactor chamber, a flare assembly combusts the mixed fuel gas to provide power or heat to at least one heat recovery device. The at least one heat recovery device recaptures thermal energy entrained in the exhaust, thereby reducing exhaust temperature and eliminating the need for an exhaust stack. An absorber purifies the exhaust and an extractor removes carbon dioxide. A portion of the removed carbon dioxide may be used for industrial purposes or for supporting vegetation. At least a portion of the remaining exhaust is returned to the gasification reactor chamber as recycled process gas, thereby completing a closed-loop system.

Abstract: A system and method for projecting capacity of computer resources for a plurality of processing systems in a processing environment and for adjusting workload among said systems to improve resource utilization. An administrative processor determines the projected usage of computer resources for a plurality of computer systems in a processing environment by representing the capacity of each of the plurality of computer systems in a normalized unit and by sorting the capacities of the computer systems by the normalized or standardized units. The standardized unit, optimally time as measured as the life expectancy of each different resource of the computer system, is used for the N-axes of the N-dimensional space called a capacity space. Each computer system is mapped to a point in the capacity space, which normalizes configuration and capacity differences between systems by expressing the usage of all resources in the units of time.

Abstract: A mobile waste gasification system comprised of a container, at least one gasification chamber, and a produced fuel gas combustion chamber, and may include a control room. Waste material is loaded into a suspended mesh liner that is offset away from the walls of the gasification chamber, thereby increasing the surface area of waste materials that are exposed to gasification conditions, and thus decreasing gasification temperature, time, and cooling period between subsequent gasification procedures. Process gas and supplemental flaring gases are preferably comprised of an oxygen or hydrogen rich gas. Produced fuel gases are withdrawn from the gasification chamber and into the produced fuel gas combustion chamber. The produced fuel gas combustion chamber may be comprised of a maze ignition chamber for the flaring of said fuel gases. Alternatively, the fuel chamber may be comprised of a gas accumulation tank that stores the produced fuel gas.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for detecting an island condition using active detection. The active detection involves biasing the voltage, frequency, current or phase of a distributed resource connected to a utility network. Biasing the distributed resource involves inducing a change of voltage, frequency, current or phases above or below the normal operating values. The impact of this biasing on the system operating parameters can then be measure to determine if an island condition exists. Once an island condition has been detected, the system can initiate an anti-islanding procedure to remove the distributed resource from the utility network such as opening a breaker connecting the distributed resource to the network. Additionally, the system and method can include a passive element for detecting frequency and voltage (or other parameters) shifts above certain points.

Abstract: A gasification system that includes a gasification reactor chamber having perforated conduits or an inner lining that increases the exposed surface area of waste materials to gasification conditions, thereby decreasing gasification temperature, time, and cooling period between subsequent gasification procedures. After an aspirator withdraws and oxidizes fuel gas from the reactor chamber, a flare assembly combusts the mixed fuel gas to provide power or heat to at least one heat recovery device. The at least one heat recovery device recaptures thermal energy entrained in the exhaust, thereby reducing exhaust temperature and eliminating the need for an exhaust stack. An absorber purifies the exhaust and an extractor removes carbon dioxide. A portion of the removed carbon dioxide may be used for industrial purposes or for supporting vegetation. At least a portion of the remaining exhaust is returned to the reactor chamber as recycled process gas, thereby completing a closed-loop system.

Abstract: A gasification system that includes a gasification reactor chamber having perforated conduits or an inner lining that increases the exposed surface area of waste materials to gasification conditions, thereby decreasing gasification temperature, time, and cooling period between subsequent gasification procedures. After an aspirator withdraws and oxidizes fuel gas from the gasification reactor chamber, a flare assembly combusts the mixed fuel gas to provide power or heat to at least one heat recovery device. The at least one heat recovery device recaptures thermal energy entrained in the exhaust, thereby reducing exhaust temperature and eliminating the need for an exhaust stack. An absorber purifies the exhaust and an extractor removes carbon dioxide. A portion of the removed carbon dioxide may be used for industrial purposes or for supporting vegetation. At least a portion of the remaining exhaust is returned to the gasification reactor chamber as recycled process gas, thereby completing a closed-loop system.