Abstract: A microphone back panel and a microphone are provided. The microphone back panel is used for a microphone, the microphone includes a diaphragm, and the microphone back panel includes a main body. A side of the main body is provided with a thinned area not in contact with the diaphragm, and a hole is formed in the main body. The main body is provided with a thinned area, thereby increasing flexibility of the microphone back panel. When the microphone back panel is bent, the increased flexibility can reduce the stress load on the microphone back panel, thereby reducing possibility of damage to the microphone back panel. In addition, the main body is provided with a hole, thereby further increasing flexibility of the microphone back panel, and reducing stress load on the microphone back panel and reducing possibility of damage to the microphone back panel.

Abstract: A comb drive for MEMS device includes a stator and a rotor displaceable relative to the stator in a first direction. The stator includes stator comb fingers and the rotor includes rotor comb fingers. The stator comb fingers are coupled to two high impedance nodes to form high impedance node domains arranged in the first direction. The rotor comb fingers are coupled to two oppositely biased electrodes to form oppositely biased domains. Pairs of capacitors with opposite acoustic polarity are respectively formed between the high impedance node domains and the oppositely biased domains. The comb drive of the present invention has increased electrostatic sensitivity for a given unit cell cross-sectional area whilst maintaining an acceptable capacitance and linearity of voltage signal vs displacement. Extra force shim unit cells may be used, which allows for the stiffness between the rotor and stator to be controlled and reduced to zero for a particular displacement range, without impacting sensitivity.

Abstract: An automated mushroom harvesting system for mounting to a vertical mushroom rack comprises a robot having a frame mounted to a vertical carriage assembly. A SCARA arm is slidably mounted to the vertical carriage assembly by a vertical stage, operable to move the SCARA arm along a vertical mast. The SCARA arm moves the end effector in a horizontal plane for harvesting mushrooms, above the surface of the mushroom bed and into and out of the confines of the mushroom rack, and the vertical stage moves the SCARA arm in a vertical direction so as to access the mushrooms in a bed and to access mushroom beds on different levels of the vertical mushroom rack. An end effector having a helically reinforced neck and a graduated elasticity modulus, with a lower elasticity modulus in the neck and a higher elasticity in the cup, is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved intravaginal drug delivery devices, i.e., intravaginal rings, useful for the prophylactic administration of dapivirine in combination with either an antimicrobial compound or a contraceptive to a human. The present invention also provides methods of blocking DNA polymerization by an HIV reverse transcriptase enzyme, methods of preventing HIV infection in a female human, methods of treating HIV infection in a female human, methods of preventing unintended pregnancy in a female human, and methods of preparing intravaginal rings.

Abstract: An MEMS microphone includes a substrate including a back volume provided inside the substrate and an opening provided at an upper surface of the substrate to communicate the back volume; a sensing device provided at an inner side wall of the back volume; a first cantilever provided inside the back volume and including end portions coupling with the sensing device; a first membrane provided at the opening; a second membrane provided inside the back volume; and second cantilevers, each of which includes a first end mechanically supporting the first cantilever, and a second end connected to the second membrane. By suspending the first cantilever on the second cantilevers, the end portions of the first cantilever always couple with a preset position of the sensing device. Thus, the DC offset of the displacement of the membrane can be prevented.

Abstract: A method and system for predicting an intended time interval for a content segment may include receiving a request for natural language processing (NLP) of the content segment, the content segment including one or more temporal expressions, accessing contextual data associated with each of the one or more temporal expressions, decoding the content segment into a program that describes a temporal logic of the content segment based on the one or more temporal expressions, evaluating the program using the contextual data to predict an intended time interval for the content segment, and providing the intended time interval as an output.

Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to receive data indicating a gaze direction of an occupant of the vehicle; determine whether the gaze direction is in a permitted area defined by a boundary, the permitted area being in a forward direction of travel of the vehicle; laterally adjust the boundary of the permitted area based on a speed of the vehicle and based on data indicating turning of the vehicle; and control the vehicle based on whether the gaze direction is in the permitted area.

Abstract: Upon determining that a vehicle is operating at an off-road location, a control parameter for the vehicle can be adjusted to compensate for data from a vehicle sensor affected by operating at the off-road location. The vehicle can then be operated at the off-road location according to the adjusted control parameter.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical system includes a lower membrane including a plurality of troughs and crests arranged alternately, an upper membrane including a plurality of troughs and crests arranged alternately, and a spacer layer disposed between the lower membrane and the upper membrane. The spacer layer includes counter electrode walls and support walls made of nitride, the counter electrode walls being provided with conductive elements. Chambers are formed between the troughs of the lower membrane and the crest of the upper membrane and the counter electrode walls are suspended in the chambers respectively. The support walls are sandwiched between the crests of the lower membrane and the troughs of the upper membrane with a space formed between adjacent support walls. The spaces between adjacent support walls may be empty or filled with oxide. Unwanted capacitance between the upper and lower membranes is reduced significantly.

Abstract: A collet assembly, for an umbilical plate that connects a vehicle to a ground station prior to a launch of the vehicle, includes an active decoupler. The active decoupler includes a pin. A cuff has a central opening. The pin passes through the central opening. A plurality of fingers are pivotally coupled to the cuff. A plurality of levers are pivotally coupled to the plurality of fingers and the pin.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical system includes an enclosure defining a cavity and an opening communicating with the cavity; a membrane mounted at the opening; a cantilever located within the cavity, the at least one cantilever comprising a first end, a second end and a fulcrum located between the first end and the second end; a plunger positioned between the membrane and the cantilever and configured to transfer displacement of the membrane to the first end of the cantilever; and a sensing member connected to the second end of the cantilever. The distance between the first end and the fulcrum is less than that between the second end and the fulcrum. The microelectromechanical system has the advantages of high SNR, small package size and high sensitivity. The membrane has a stiffness order of magnitude higher than a conventional membrane, which avoids mechanical collapse and large DC deformation under 1 atm.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical system includes a spacer layer, a first corrugated conductive diaphragm, and a second corrugated conductive diaphragm. The spacer layer includes counter electrode walls, slots and support walls extending along a first direction. The counter electrode walls, slots and support walls are arranged alternately in a second direction. The first corrugated conductive diaphragm includes first crests and first troughs arranged alternately in the second direction. The second corrugated conductive diaphragm includes second crests and second troughs arranged alternately in the second direction. The spacer layer is received in a cavity formed by the first and second corrugated conductive diaphragms. The support walls are respectively sandwiched between the aligned first troughs and second crests. The counter electrode walls are respectively suspended in the corresponding chambers formed between the aligned first crests and second troughs.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved intravaginal drug delivery devices, i.e., intravaginal rings, useful for the prophylactic administration of dapivirine in combination with either an antimicrobial compound or a contraceptive to a human. The present invention also provides methods of blocking DNA polymerization by an HIV reverse transcriptase enzyme, methods of preventing HIV infection in a female human, methods of treating HIV infection in a female human, methods of preventing unintended pregnancy in a female human, and methods of preparing intravaginal rings.

Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to method, system and apparatus for concurrent volume and file based inline encryption on commodity operating systems (OS). More particularly, some embodiments of the disclosure relate to a Converged Cryptographic Engine (CCE) for storage encryption.

Abstract: The hernia binder of the present invention may include an insert that is placed between a hernia and a binder in order to prevent bulging of the hernia through a weakness in the abdominal wall muscles. The insert may be secured through various fasteners, including a hook and mesh fastener. The insert may be constructed in different sizes and shapes to conform to the patient's size, the specific hernia and other factors. The insert may also be constructed from various materials to accommodate these factors. The insert may be created from a mold of the specific patient who will utilize the present invention. The insert is therefore custom made and is constructed in different sizes and shapes to conform to the patient's size, the specific hernia and other factors.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating online to offline commerce are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system configured to receive a request to check-in a customer at a merchant facility is disclosed. The system receives a request to access real-time pre-sale transaction data associated with a first customer and transmits the real-time pre-sale transaction data associated with the first customer to a mobile client device. The request to check-in and the request to access the real-time pre-sale transaction data are transmitted by the first mobile client device. The system is configured to authenticate the request to check-in at the merchant facility, process the request to access the real-time pre-sale transaction data, and responsively access the real-time pre-sale transaction data associated with the first customer from a point of sale device located at the merchant facility.

Abstract: A system for automatically scaling provisioned resources includes an input interface and a processor. The input interface is configured to receive an estimate of a required number of processing threads. The processor is configured to determine required resources for processing the required number of processing threads using a model; provision the required resources; indicate to execute client tasks using the provisioned resources; determine server telemetry or logging data for the provisioned resources; provide the server telemetry or the logging data to the model; determine a resource utilization score based at least in part on the server telemetry or the logging data; determine a provisioning performance reward based at least in part on the resource utilization score; and adjust model parameters using the provisioning performance reward.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating online to offline commerce are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system configured to receive a request to check-in a customer at a merchant facility is disclosed. The system receives a request to access real-time pre-sale transaction data associated with a first customer and transmits the real-time pre-sale transaction data associated with the first customer to a mobile client device. The request to check-in and the request to access the real-time pre-sale transaction data are transmitted by the first mobile client device. The system is configured to authenticate the request to check-in at the merchant facility, process the request to access the real-time pre-sale transaction data, and responsively access the real-time pre-sale transaction data associated with the first customer from a point of sale device located at the merchant facility.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods, compositions and articles of manufacture for use in connection with cell therapy involving the administration of one or more doses of a therapeutic T cell composition. The cells of the T cell composition express recombinant receptors such as chimeric receptors, e.g. chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) or other transgenic receptors such as T cell receptors (TCRs). Features of the provided embodiments, including the numbers of cells or units of cells administered and/or the potency of administered cells, provide various advantages, such as lower risk of toxicity in subjects administered the T cell compositions.

Abstract: A sandwich stacker for grasping, rotating and stacking one half of a bisected sandwich on the other half. The stacker includes a half-sandwich gripper. A selectively actuable rotator is coupled to the gripper. The gripper is adapted to releasably hold a first half-sandwich of a bisected sandwich. The rotator selectively rotates the gripper about a first axis of rotation for stacking the first half-sandwich on the other half of the sandwich. The stacker is adapted to be coupled to a positioning device, such as a robotic arm. The rotator may be mounted on the stacker or on the positioning device. The first axis of rotation may be through a center of mass of the first half-sandwich when held by the gripper, or through a cut-line bisecting the bisected sandwich when the first half-sandwich is first held by the gripper.