Abstract: Methods and systems for use in automating or assisting umpiring of a baseball or softball game are described herein. A location of a strike zone is determined based on video images of a batter standing next to home plate captured by a camera. Locations of a ball traveling towards the batter, and locations of the bat being held by the batter, are autonomously tracked using computer vision based on video images captured by at least two cameras having different positions. Additionally, there are autonomous determinations of whether a location of the ball intersects with the strike zone, and whether the batter made a genuine attempt to swing the bat at the ball, and based one at least one of these determinations, there is an autonomous determination of whether a “strike” or a “ball” occurred. Additionally, an indication of whether a “strike” or a “ball” occurred is autonomously output.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus and process for finishing hosiery articles such as men's, women's and children's socks. Each sock is placed inside-out on an elongated hollow tubular member, with the toe seam covering a first open end of the tubular member. The tubular member is rotated adjacent shears so that unfinished threads extending from each sock are trimmed and removed. A stretching ram is then inserted in the first open end of the tubular member to sandwich each sock between the ram and the tubular member, and a portion of the ram then extends through the tubular member to stretch the sock and thereby straighten the toe seam. The stretching ram is removed, and pressurized air forces the sock through the hollow tubular member and out a second open end of the tubular member in a rightside-out condition.