Abstract: A lumbar support device for a vehicle seat permits vertical and fore-aft adjustment of the support or forces exerted on the back of an operator seated on the vehicle seat. The lumbar support device includes a lumbar panel resiliently flexibly attached to the seat frame and/or seat shell to permit fore and aft movement of the lumbar panel relative to the seat back, the lumbar panel arranged to bear against the seat back, and a cam element having a cam surface bearing against the lumbar panel to apply force to the lumbar panel toward the seat back, the cam element supported on the seat frame and/or seat shell for movement relative to the lumbar panel and relative to the seat shell and/or seat frame, the cam element configured to vary the force applied to the seat back based on the movement of the cam element.

Abstract: A fluid sampler includes: a sample cell that includes: a substrate comprising: a first port; a second port in fluid communication with the first port; a viewing reservoir in fluid communication with the first port and the second port and that receives the fluid from the first port and communicates the fluid to the second port, the viewing reservoir including: a first view membrane; a second view membrane; and a pillar interposed between the first view membrane and second view membrane, the pillar separating the first view membrane from the second view membrane at a substantially constant separation distance such that a volume of the viewing reservoir is substantially constant and invariable with respect to a temperature and invariable with respect to a pressure to which the sample cell is subjected.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a nose cone with a nose cone upstream end and an inlet housing including a plurality of separate flow paths at a housing upstream end which is downstream of the nose cone upstream end. The inlet housing includes a mixing portion downstream of the housing upstream end which mixes airflow from the separate flow paths, such that the airflow is generally around 360 degrees of a rotational axis of the gas turbine engine. A rotor and a turbine drive a shaft to drive the rotor with the shaft including a bearing mounted at a location downstream of the nose cone upstream end.

Abstract: A lumbar support device for a vehicle seat permits vertical and fore-aft adjustment of the support or forces exerted on the back of an operator seated on the vehicle seat. The lumbar support device includes a lumbar panel resiliently flexibly attached to the seat frame and/or seat shell to permit fore and aft movement of the lumbar panel relative to the seat back, the lumbar panel arranged to bear against the seat back, and a cam element having a cam surface bearing against the lumbar panel to apply force to the lumbar panel toward the seat back, the cam element supported on the seat frame and/or seat shell for movement relative to the lumbar panel and relative to the seat shell and/or seat frame, the cam element configured to vary the force applied to the seat back based on the movement of the cam element.

Abstract: As disclosed herein a method, executed by a processor, for accelerated instruction execution includes retrieving an execute instruction including a register reference and a reference to a target instruction, retrieving the target instruction, decoding the execute instruction using an instruction pipeline, decoding the target instruction using the instruction pipeline, associating the register reference to the target instruction, and executing the target instruction using the register reference as a source operand modifier. The instruction pipeline is configured such that it allows the target instruction to continue processing without waiting for the register reference to be resolved. The contents of the referenced register may be retrieved in a later stage of the instruction pipeline, and the target instruction may be modified and executed. An apparatus corresponding to the described method is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A temperature control system and a method of controlling air conditioning in a multi-zone structure are disclosed. The temperature control system includes a forced-air primary conditioning unit including an air return duct, an air supply duct, and a circulator. The temperature control system also includes a secondary combustion heat source that operates independently of the forced-air primary conditioning unit, a smart circulator thermostat, and a remote temperature sensor. The at least one memory device includes executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the processor to receive a temperature value representative of a temperature of the structure, receive an indication of an operation of the secondary combustion heat source, generate a circulator operation signal based on a comparison of the received temperature value to a selectable temperature setpoint, and the received indication of an operation of an independent secondary combustion heat source.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods, compounds, and compositions for reducing expression of ApoCIII mRNA and protein in a patient with Fredrickson Type I dyslipidemia, FCS, LPLD. Also provided herein are methods, compounds, and compositions for treating, preventing, delaying, or ameliorating Fredrickson Type I dyslipidemia, FCS, LPLD, in a patient. Further provided herein are methods, compounds, and compositions for increasing HDL levels and/or improving the ratio of TG to HDL and reducing plasma lipids and plasma glucose in a patient with Fredrickson Type I dyslipidemia, FCS, LPLD. Such methods, compounds, and compositions are useful to treat, prevent, delay, or ameliorate any one or more of pancreatitis, cardiovascular disease or metabolic disorder, or a symptom thereof.

Abstract: One variation of a method for communicating intent includes, at an autonomous vehicle: autonomously approaching an intersection; autonomously navigating to a stop proximal the intersection; while stopped proximal the intersection, projecting an intent icon onto pavement at a first distance ahead of the autonomous vehicle; calculating a confidence score for possession of right of way of the autonomous vehicle to enter the intersection based on objects detected in a field around the autonomous vehicle; projecting the intent icon onto pavement at distances ahead of the autonomous vehicle proportional to the confidence score and greater than the first distance; and in response to the confidence score exceeding a threshold score, autonomously entering the intersection.

Abstract: One variation of a method for identifying a user entering an autonomous vehicle includes: receiving a ride request from the user, the ride request specifying a pickup location; at the autonomous vehicle, autonomously navigating to the pickup location, scanning a field near the autonomous vehicle for a human approaching the autonomous vehicle, and, in response to detecting the human proximal the autonomous vehicle, recording an image of the human; detecting a face of the human in the image; accessing a faceprint characterizing facial features of the user; and, in response to the face of the human detected in the image exhibiting features represented in the faceprint, identifying the human as the user and triggering a door of the autonomous vehicle to unlock for the user.

Abstract: One variation of a method for customizing motion characteristics of an autonomous vehicle for a user includes: accessing a baseline emotional state of the user following entry of the user into the autonomous vehicle at a first time proximal a start of a trip; during a first segment of the trip, autonomously navigating toward a destination location according to a first motion planning parameter, accessing a second emotional state of the user at a second time, detecting degradation of sentiment of the user based on differences between the baseline and second emotional states; and correlating degradation of sentiment of the user with a navigational characteristic of the autonomous vehicle; modifying the first motion planning parameter of the autonomous vehicle to deviate from the navigational characteristic; and, during a second segment of the trip, autonomously navigating toward the destination location according to the revised motion planning parameter.

Abstract: One variation of a method for monitoring an interior state of an autonomous vehicle includes: at the autonomous vehicle, recording a pre-ride image of an interior of the autonomous vehicle prior to initiating a ride; following completion of the ride, recording a post-ride image of the interior of the autonomous vehicle; detecting a region of the post-ride image differing from the pre-ride image, the region of the post-ride image representing a change in the interior of the autonomous vehicle following occupancy of the autonomous vehicle by a user; classifying a type of an object depicted in the region of the post-ride image based on features extracted from the region of the post-ride image; and in response to classifying the object depicted in the region of the post-ride image as a personal item, serving a prompt to the user to retrieve the object from the autonomous vehicle.

Abstract: A queue management capability enables allocation and management of tracking queue entries, such as load and/or store queue entries, at execution time. By introducing execution-time allocation of load/store queue entries, the allocation point of those entries is delayed further into the execution stage of the instruction pipeline, reducing the overall time the entry remains allocated to a specific instruction. The queue management capability may also resolve deadlock conditions resulting from execution-time allocation of the queue entries and/or provide a mechanism to avoid such deadlock conditions.

Abstract: One variation of a method for executing autonomous rideshare requests includes: following arrival of an autonomous vehicle proximal a pickup location specified in a rideshare request submitted by a user, setting a user arrival timer for a first duration and a depart timer for a second duration exceeding the first duration; serving a state of the user arrival timer to a mobile computing device affiliated with the user; rendering a state of the depart timer on an external display arranged on the autonomous vehicle; in response to failure of the user to arrive at the autonomous vehicle prior to expiration of the user arrival timer, departing from the pickup location without the user; and, in response to the user arriving at the autonomous vehicle prior to expiration of the user arrival timer, departing from the pickup location with the user prior to expiration of the delay timer.

Abstract: A fluid sampler includes: a sample cell that includes: a substrate comprising: a first port; a second port in fluid communication with the first port; a viewing reservoir in fluid communication with the first port and the second port and that receives the fluid from the first port and communicates the fluid to the second port, the viewing reservoir including: a first view membrane; a second view membrane; and a pillar interposed between the first view membrane and second view membrane, the pillar separating the first view membrane from the second view membrane at a substantially constant separation distance such that a volume of the viewing reservoir is substantially constant and invariable with respect to a temperature and invariable with respect to a pressure to which the sample cell is subjected.

Abstract: A load-conveying and transport apparatus includes a first frame, a conveyor carried by the first frame, and a second frame mounted to the first frame for movement between lowered and raised positions relative to the conveyor. The second frame lies below the conveyor, when the second frame is in the lowered position relative to the conveyor. The second frame lies proud of the conveyor, when the second frame is in the raised position relative to the conveyor. The conveyor is for conveying a load placed thereon without interference from the second frame, when the second frame is in the lowered position relative to the conveyor. The second frame is for supporting the load placed thereon above the conveyor for disabling the conveyor from conveying the load, when the second frame is in the raised position.

Abstract: A localized gap plasmon resonator includes: a pad including: a first plasmonic material to support a surface plasmon; and a first plasmon surface; a nanoelectromechanical (NEM) member disposed opposing the first plasmon surface of the pad and spaced apart from the pad by a plasmon gap, the plasmon gap supporting a plasmon resonance; and a plasmonic nanoprism disposed on the NEM member and including: a second plasmonic material to support a surface plasmon; and a second plasmon surface, such that: the second plasmon surface of the plasmonic nanoprism opposes the first plasmon surface of the pad; and the pad, the plasmonic nanoprism, and the plasmon gap support a localized gap plasmon (LGP) mode.

Abstract: A magnetic endoscopic system including a wireless endoscope. The wireless endoscope includes one or more cameras and one or more lights for viewing internal portions of a body. The wireless endoscope further includes one or more magnets. The magnetic endoscopic system also includes a positioner externally positioned against the body for moving the wireless endoscope when positioned entirely or partially within the portions of the body. The positioner includes at least one magnet for attracting the one or more magnets and magnetically moving the wireless endoscope.