Abstract: An apparatus includes a light modulator configured to modulate light to display frames of images based on display image data, and a controller coupled to the light modulator. The controller is configured to obtain a sequence of image data to be displayed by the light modulator; produce the display image data based on the sequence of image data; transmit the display image data to the light modulator; determine, based on the sequence of image data, to enter one or more sleep modes that reduce power usage by the controller, the light modulator, or an interface between the controller and the light modulator compared to a normal operation mode; and enter one or more extended sleep modes that have lower power usage than the one or more sleep modes if an extended sleep mode signal is detected in the sequence of image data.

Abstract: The current document discusses electromechanical sequence detectors that transduce changes in the shape of a shape-change sensor component into an electrical signal from which one or more derived values are generated. In a disclosed implementation, the sequence-detection system comprises a mechanical-change sensor that changes shape when specifically interacting with entities within a target, a shape-to-signal-transduction component that transduces changes in the shape of the mechanical-change sensor into an electrical signal, an analysis subsystem that determines the types of entities within the target using the electrical signal, and a control subsystem that continuously monitors operational characteristics of the sequence-detection system and adjusts sequence-detection system operational parameters.

Abstract: Medical devices for delivering a plug to a void within a patient. The medical device can include a fluid delivery device and a plug holder (e.g., a plug delivery device) coupled to a distal end of the fluid delivery device. The medical device may be configured such that the delivery of fluid from the fluid delivery device wets the plug, ejects the plug from the plug holder, and pushes the plug through a lumen of an elongate tube to a void within a patient.

Abstract: Described here are devices for closing one or more tissues, and handles for controlling these devices. Generally, the devices described here comprise a snare loop assembly, wherein the snare loop assembly comprises a snare and a suture loop, and a handle for controlling the snare loop assembly. In some variations the snare loop assembly may comprise a retention member that may releasably connect the suture loop to the snare. In other variations the devices comprise one or more force-reducing suture locks to help prevent the suture loop from inadvertently disengaging from the snare loop assembly. In still other variations, the excess-suture management features. The handles described here may be configured to remove excess suture from a suture loop, and may also be configured to release the suture loop from the snare loop assembly.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling robotic movement of a tool based on one or more virtual boundaries. The system comprises a tool and a manipulator to support the tool. A control system controls operation of the manipulator and movement of the tool based on a relationship between the tool and the one or more virtual boundaries associated with a target site. The control system includes a boundary handler to determine whether the tool is in compliance with the one or more virtual boundaries or is in violation of the one or more virtual boundaries.

Abstract: A number of illustrative variations may include a system including brake-to-steer algorithms may achieve lateral control of a vehicle without longitudinal compensation but may also force a vehicle to slow down too rapidly before appropriate lateral movement can be achieved and may deliver an unnatural driving experience for vehicle occupants. A more natural feeling deceleration may be achieved by optimally selecting appropriate transmission shifts to allow for optimal engine speed or electric motor speed and torque based on current vehicle speed thereby reducing undesirably longitudinal disturbance.

Abstract: Robotic surgical systems and methods for guiding a tool along a path using hybrid automated/manual control. A manipulator supports a surgical tool and a sensor measures forces/torques applied to the tool. A control system commands the manipulator to perform an automated advancement of the tool along a predetermined tool path in a first path direction and according to a predetermined feed rate. During the automated advancement, an input is received from the sensor in response to user applied forces/torques to the tool. The control system evaluates an effect of the sensor input on the automated advancement of the tool to determine an effective feed rate and an effective path direction for the tool with respect to the tool path. The control system determines a commanded action for the manipulator and the tool with respect to the tool path based on the effective feed rate and effective path direction.

Abstract: Surgical systems, computer-implemented methods, and software programs for generating a milling path for a bone. The implementations involve obtaining a virtual model of the bone, a resection volume defined relative to the virtual model of the bone, and a reference guide defined with respect to the resection volume. Section planes are successively arranged along the reference guide, and each section plane intersects the reference guide and intersects the resection volume. A section path is generated within each section plane and is defined relative to the resection volume. Transition segments are generated to connect section paths of section planes. The milling path is then generated by combining the section paths and the transition segments.

Abstract: Systems, methods, software and techniques for generating a milling path for a tool of a surgical system are provided. The milling path is designed to remove a resection volume associated with an anatomical volume. A reference guide is defined with respect to the resection volume. Sections are defined along the reference guide in succession. Each section intersects the reference guide at a different intersection point and is at a specified orientation relative to the reference guide at the intersection point. Each section further intersects the resection volume. A section path is generated to be bounded within each section and defined relative to the resection volume. A plurality of transition segments are generated and each transition segment connects section paths of successive sections along the reference guide.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for guiding movement of a tool. The system includes a tool and a manipulator. A guide handler obtains a target state for the tool and generates virtual constraints based on the target state and a current state of the tool. A constraint solver calculates a constraint force adapted to attract the tool toward the target state or repel the tool away from the target state based on the virtual constraints. A virtual simulator simulates dynamics of the tool in a virtual simulation based on the constraint force and input from one or more sensors, to output a commanded pose. The control system commands the manipulator to move the tool based on the commanded pose to thereby provide haptic feedback to the user that guides the user toward placing the tool at the target state or away from the target state.

Abstract: A microphone capsule assembly includes a first microphone capsule oriented to face a first direction that is parallel to a first plane, a second microphone capsule oriented to face in a direction opposite to the first direction, where a front face of the second microphone capsule is spaced a distance from a front face of the first microphone capsule in the first direction, a third microphone capsule oriented to face in a second direction that is at a first acute angle to the first direction when measured parallel to the first plane, and a fourth microphone capsule oriented to face in a third direction that is at a second acute angle to the first direction when measured parallel to the first plane, where the third and fourth microphone capsules are spaced a distance from the front face of the first microphone capsule in the first direction.

Abstract: A plurality of utterances of a first user from the language of the first user is translated into a language of a second user. The confidence scores associated with the translated utterances are compared with a confidence threshold. A predetermined utterance gap is adjusted based on the comparison. The predetermined utterance gap is a duration of time that occurs between utterances.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling robotic movement of a tool based on one or more virtual boundaries. The system comprises a tool and a manipulator to support the tool. A control system controls operation of the manipulator and movement of the tool based on a relationship between the tool and the one or more virtual boundaries associated with a target site. The control system includes a boundary handler to determine whether the tool is in compliance with the one or more virtual boundaries or is in violation of the one or more virtual boundaries.

Abstract: A microphone capsule assembly includes a first microphone capsule oriented to face a first direction that is parallel to a first plane, a second microphone capsule oriented to face in a direction opposite to the first direction, where a front face of the second microphone capsule is spaced a distance from a front face of the first microphone capsule in the first direction, a third microphone capsule oriented to face in a second direction that is at a first acute angle to the first direction when measured parallel to the first plane, and a fourth microphone capsule oriented to face in a third direction that is at a second acute angle to the first direction when measured parallel to the first plane, where the third and fourth microphone capsules are spaced a distance from the front face of the first microphone capsule in the first direction.

Abstract: A plurality of utterances of a first user from the language of the first user is translated into a language of a second user. The confidence scores associated with the translated utterances are compared with a confidence threshold. A predetermined utterance gap is adjusted based on the comparison. The predetermined utterance gap is a duration of time that occurs between utterances.

Abstract: Systems, methods, software and techniques for generating a milling path for a tool of a surgical system are provided. The milling path is designed to remove a resection volume associated with an anatomical volume. A reference guide is defined with respect to the resection volume. Sections are defined along the reference guide in succession. Each section intersects the reference guide at a different intersection point and is at a specified orientation relative to the reference guide at the intersection point. Each section further intersects the resection volume. A section path is generated to be bounded within each section and defined relative to the resection volume. A plurality of transition segments are generated and each transition segment connects section paths of successive sections along the reference guide.

Abstract: A plurality of utterances of a first user from the language of the first user is translated into a language of a second user. The confidence scores associated with the translated utterances are compared with a confidence threshold. A predetermined utterance gap is adjusted based on the comparison. The predetermined utterance gap is a duration of time that occurs between utterances.

Abstract: An earpiece for real-time audio processing of ambient sound includes an ear bud that provides passive noise attenuation to the earpiece such that exterior ambient sound is substantially reduced within an ear of a wearer, an exterior microphone that receives ambient sound and converts the received ambient sound into analog electrical signals, and an analog-to-digital converter that converts the analog electrical signals into digital signals representative of the ambient sounds. The earpiece further includes a digital signal processor that performs a transformation operation on the digital signals according to instructions received from a mobile device, the transformation operation transforms the digital signals into modified digital signals, a digital-to-analog converter that converts the modified digital signals into modified analog electrical signals, and a speaker that outputs the modified analog electrical signals as audio waves.

Abstract: Ambient sound is converted into digital signals. A processor performs active noise cancellation and/or a transformation operation that is distinct from the active noise cancellation on the digital signals. The active noise cancellation and the transformation operation transform the digital signals into modified digital signals. The modified digital signals are converted into modified analog signals. The modified analog signals are outputted as audio waves. An interior microphone is configured to output an output signal to the processor in response to receiving the modified analog signals. In response to receiving the output signal from the interior microphone, the processor is configured to determine whether the modified digital signals produce desired audio waves.

Abstract: The present invention is a mat-like structure with three-dimensional, inflatable motifs attached thereto. The mat-like structure is comprised of a surface layer and base layer, with a system of air ducts positioned between the two layers. The air ducts receive air from an air pump or other source, and are connected to the three-dimensional, inflatable motifs. The mat-like structure may include electronic lights, sound-producing components and/or three-dimensional elements connected thereto.