Abstract: A holding system includes a holder. The holder includes a peripheral lip and a flexible collar extending inward and downward from the peripheral lip. The flexible collar defines an opening configured to receive an object. The holding system further includes at least one of (a) a plurality of slide pads having at least a portion thereof positioned along an upper side of the flexible collar or (b) a biasing element extending along and around a periphery of an underside of the flexible collar.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for combining natural language generation with query retrieval for context appropriate query recommendation. For example, a computer-implemented method for generating a recommended query for a conversation system in response to an original user query, wherein at least a portion of the original user query is not understandable to a query interpretation process, includes the following steps. Recommendation results are computed, in response to the original user query, using a natural language generation-based recommendation process. Recommendation results are computed, in response to the original user query, using a retrieval-based recommendation process. A recommended query is generated based on consideration of at least a portion of the natural language generation-based recommendation results and at least a portion of the retrieval-based recommendation results.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for combining natural language generation with query retrieval for context appropriate query recommendation. For example, a computer-implemented method for generating a recommended query for a conversation system in response to an original user query, wherein at least a portion of the original user query is not understandable to a query interpretation process, includes the following steps. Recommendation results are computed, in response to the original user query, using a natural language generation-based recommendation process. Recommendation results are computed, in response to the original user query, using a retrieval-based recommendation process. A recommended query is generated based on consideration of at least a portion of the natural language generation-based recommendation results and at least a portion of the retrieval-based recommendation results.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for combining natural language generation with query retrieval for context appropriate query recommendation. For example, a computer-implemented method for generating a recommended query for a conversation system in response to an original user query, wherein at least a portion of the original user query is not understandable to a query interpretation process, includes the following steps. Recommendation results are computed, in response to the original user query, using a natural language generation-based recommendation process. Recommendation results are computed, in response to the original user query, using a retrieval-based recommendation process. A recommended query is generated based on consideration of at least a portion of the natural language generation-based recommendation results and at least a portion of the retrieval-based recommendation results.