Abstract: The vehicle electrostatic propulsion system has two connected sections. A direct current section comprising an array of supercapacitors and an electrostatic repulsion motor; they are powered by wind and solar energies. This direct current section is connected to an alternating current section comprising a 3-phase induction generator and a 3-phase induction motor, the generator is powered by the electrostatic repulsion motor. The 3-phase induction motor power the wheels of the vehicle. The propulsion system will give a long range to a vehicle.

Abstract: This electrostatic power circuit purpose is to build-up a large amount of powerful electrostatic energy. It has a high direct-current voltage generator acting as an electrostatic energy provider in the form of electric charges, next is an electrostatic generator and its electric motor acting as an electrostatic energy amplifier, and last is an electrostatic motor acting as an electrostatic energy convertor, converting electrostatic energy to mechanical energy. The electrostatic power circuit is a major part of a practical electrostatic power system.

Abstract: Mechanical energy is generated at the axle of the rotor of this electrostatic motor by the electrostatic energy going into the motor. The electrostatic motor comprises a rotor adjacent a stator and there are changing lines and a discharging line. A continuous repeating of the charging and discharging sequences produces continuous rotation of the rotor. An important property of the electrostatic motor is that they can operate from a much greater variety of electrical sources; the electric field of the earth is one example.

Abstract: This is a mobile vehicle with three basic eternal features a conical front, cylindrical body and ellipsoidal rear end. The vehicle will have stationary rear wheels and steerable front wheels. This design will allow the vehicle to enter a tornado safely and spray cold water through its outer nozzles into the tornado, reducing its energy and destructive power. This vehicle can become a tornado hunter. This vehicle can be used in fighting large fires on relatively level terrains, by creating a watery path-like barricade.

Abstract: A method for determining chlorophyll content of a plant comprises capturing a first image comprising light transmitted through a leaf of a plant; capturing a second image comprising light reflected from the leaf of the plant; estimating, from a plurality of pixels in the first image, a transmissive chlorophyll concentration value of the leaf; estimating a reflectance chlorophyll concentration value for the leaf from a plurality of pixels in the second image using bidirectional reflectance parameters for which a variance of the reflectance chlorophyll concentration value across the plurality of pixels in the second image is reduced; and determining an estimated chlorophyll concentration value for the plant based at least on the transmissive chlorophyll concentration value and the reflectance chlorophyll concentration value.

Abstract: This is a mobile vehicle with three basic eternal features a conical front, cylindrical body and ellipsoidal rear end. The vehicle will have stationary rear wheels and steerable front wheels. This design will allow the vehicle to enter a tornado safely and spray cold water through its outer nozzles into the tornado, reducing its energy and destructive power. This vehicle can become a tornado hunter. This vehicle can be used in fighting large fires on relatively level terrains, by creating a watery path-like barricade.

Abstract: Propulsion can be achieved without expelling matter by using a non-inertial subsystem to generate substantial internal Coriolis recoil forces that supply propulsion. A unique subsystem has been designed in which mass (fluids) is discretely injected radially into a non-inertial system comprising arrays of spinning radially-oriented vanes mounted on thin discs forming a stacked array of rectangular cross section tubes lock onto a common spinning shaft. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the mass (fluid) is input into the tubes at the circumference of the spinning system by radially injecting the fluid at high velocity onto one tube at a time at the outer end of the tubes. The mass is then centrifugally slowed as it travels in toward the axis and leaves the system at a very low velocity near the axis of rotation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described to enable automation of service discovery records, such as domain name system (DNS) records, based on rules. An administrator of a hosted server, such as a virtual machine instance, may submit a rule to a rule-based DNS resolution system for generating DNS records to assist in discover of the hosted server. The rule may include criteria specifying servers to which the rule applies, as well as criteria for generating a domain name to associate with the server within a DNS record. The rule-based DNS resolution system can integrate with a hosting system providing the hosted server to obtain configuration information of the hosted server and generate DNS records in accordance with the rule. Rules may also be utilized to automate other aspects of the rule-based DNS resolution system, such as health checking and load balancing.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described to enable integrating operation of a service record system with operation of an automatically scaled service hosting system. The service hosting system can maintain a set of servers to provide a network-accessible service, and the service record system can maintain records identifying the set of servers as endpoints for the service. The service hosting system can further modify the number of servers within the set based, for example, on demand. When the service hosting system intends to remove a server from the set, it may notify the service record system. The service record system, in turn, can determine whether any valid records are predicted to exist that identify the to-be-removed server as an endpoint for the service. If such records are predicted to exist, removal of the server can be delayed until those records expire, to prevent errors resulting from client reliance on those records.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for determining moisture content of corn. In one example, a method includes processing a captured image of an ear of corn using a threshold value to create a segmented binary image comprising a first plurality of blobs, determining at least one characteristic of a plurality of corn kernels represented by the first plurality of blobs, and estimating a moisture value for the ear of corn based on the at least one characteristic of the plurality of corn kernels. In some embodiments, the method includes generating a luminance intensity profile across a region of the captured image containing at least one corn kernel in the plurality of corn kernels, computing a derivative of the luminance intensity profile; an determining, with reference to the derivative of the luminance intensity profile, a location of a boundary of the at least one corn kernel.

Abstract: Propulsion is achieved without expelling matter by a non-inertial subsystem to generate substantial internal Coriolis recoil forces that supply propulsion. A subsystem discretely injects mass (fluids) radially into a non-inertial system having spinning radially-oriented fins mounted on a thin disc. The mass (fluid) is input at the circumference of the spinning system by radially injecting the fluid at high velocity onto one fin at a time at the outer end thereof. The mass centrifugally slows as it travels toward the axis and leaves the system at a very low velocity near the axis of rotation. The resultant integrated non-linear Coriolis reaction or recoil is constrained to acting through the axis of rotation of the spinning vanes by keeping the rotation rate constant. The net integrated reactive force acting on the axis of rotation of the subsystem produces a propulsive force. The injected and retarded fluids are captured near the rotation axis and recirculated to the input injectors.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described to enable integrating operation of a service record system with operation of a hosting system. The service hosting system can maintain a set of servers to provide a network-accessible service, and the service record system can maintain records identifying the set of servers as endpoints for the service. The service record system can periodically transmit health check data to servers within the set, to verify their health status. When the service record system determines that a server is unhealthy, it can notify the hosting system. If the hosting system removes the server from the pool, it can notify the service record system, so that the service record system can halt further health checking of the server.

Abstract: A method for generating a yield estimate for a crop of corn includes capturing a digital image of an ear of corn; processing the digital image of an ear of corn to determine a plurality of dimensions for each of a plurality of kernels on the ear of corn; estimating, from the plurality of dimensions, an average kernel volume for the ear of corn; determining, from the average kernel volume and an estimated kernel density, an average kernel weight for the ear of corn; and estimating, from the average kernel weight, a kernels-per-bushel for the ear of corn.

Abstract: A service is described that makes it easy and cost-effective to configure network traffic flowing to multiple endpoints. Enterprises and developers can easily manage the way that end-users are routed to applications running in different geographic regions. Customers can route traffic based on multiple criteria in a customer policy. Customers can manage large-scale, multi-region applications, increase application availability, and minimize latency to end-users. The service can consider the state of end-users, such as their geography, their network, and their latency to different geographic regions. The service can also consider the state of the customer's applications, such as the load on the application, the application's health, the cost of using that application (e.g., resource costs), resource states (e.g., disk throughput), resource location, customer-provided endpoint cost parameters, etc.

Abstract: The dangers associated with high waves coming over a helicopter low flight deck is well known by many naval personnel. Waves have been known to damage helicopter engines and nearly washed sailors overboard. This barricade of special designed units will solve this problem completely and without a great cost to the Navy.

Abstract: This invention is about the art, science and technology of smoke screening. The three “areas of importance” are sea, land and air uses. During World War II military strategy was forever changed by the numerous offensive and defensive advantages created by the first ever effective large area smoke screen. Smoke screens were also used extensively during the Vietnam War. In wars since the Vietnam War there have been several military disasters—totally or partially—for not using smoke screens, it has been reported. This invention will eliminate leaking tanks, plugged up exhaust nozzles, loose control values, inaccurate gauges and regulators found in earlier and present smoke screen delivery systems. No new technology is required.

Abstract: An electrostatic repulsion motor comprising a rotor adjacent a stator. A main charging line is connected to a rotor charging line and a stator charging line. There is a discharging for the rotor. A continuous repeating of the charging and discharging sequences, produces continuous rotation of the rotor. Mechanical energy is generated at the axle of the rotor by the electrostatic energy going into the motor. Electrostatic energy in a concentrated amount is the second most powerful type of energy, nuclear energy being the first. The problems for the need of better insulating materials and techniques have gone away, along with the economical and convenient shortcomings. An important property of the electrostatic motor is that they can operate from a much greater variety of sources than the present electromagnetic motors. The electric field of the earth is one example.

Abstract: A method for generating a yield estimate for a crop of corn includes capturing a digital image of an ear of corn; processing the digital image of an ear of corn to determine a plurality of dimensions for each of a plurality of kernels on the ear of corn; estimating, from the plurality of dimensions, an average kernel volume for the ear of corn; determining, from the average kernel volume and an estimated kernel density, an average kernel weight for the ear of corn; and estimating, from the average kernel weight, a kernels-per-bushel for the ear of corn.

Abstract: A portable ice crusher assembly to be mounted on the bow of an icebreaker. The main sections are a deck support assembly, a deck power assembly and a front support assembly with a hanging container with weights within, and sharp pointed spikes at its bottom. The ice crusher assembly breaks up the ice in front of the icebreaker by dropping the container onto it. Instead of breaking the ice with a ship's hull an ice crusher assembly can be used.

Abstract: A method for determining chlorophyll content of a plant comprises capturing a first image comprising light transmitted through a leaf of a plant; capturing a second image comprising light reflected from the leaf of the plant; estimating, from a plurality of pixels in the first image, a transmissive chlorophyll concentration value of the leaf; estimating a reflectance chlorophyll concentration value for the leaf from a plurality of pixels in the second image using bidirectional reflectance parameters for which a variance of the reflectance chlorophyll concentration value across the plurality of pixels in the second image is reduced; and determining an estimated chlorophyll concentration value for the plant based at least on the transmissive chlorophyll concentration value and the reflectance chlorophyll concentration value.