Abstract: There is provided a method, system, and device for capturing high resolution images of a scene for analysis of one or more persons. The method includes: receiving one or more pre-attentive images, the one or more pre-attentive images capturing the scene; detecting one or more persons in the one or more pre-attentive images; determining a feature vector and a geo-location for at least one of the detected persons in the pre-attentive image; matching the feature vector and geo-location to a previously detected person for tracking of such detected person, and where there is no match, initializing a tracking of a new person; receiving an attentive image that captures the detected person by directing gaze at a specified azimuthal location, the attentive image comprising a smaller field-of-view (FoV) than the one or more pre-attentive images; and outputting the attentive image.

Abstract: A method for preparing methyl acrylate comprises: a) heating in a reaction zone a mixture comprising acrylic acid, methanol, and an acid catalyst to react and form a reaction product comprising methyl acrylate which is vaporized with other light components and then fed to a distillation zone, wherein a feed stream entering the reaction zone comprises methanol to acrylic acid in a molar ratio of greater than 1 and less than 2, and a residence time in the reaction zone ranges from 0.25 to 2 hours; b) condensing and phase-separating a distillate from the distillation zone to form an organic phase comprising methyl acrylate and an aqueous phase; c) returning a portion of the organic phase to the distillation zone as organic reflux; and d) feeding the remainder of the organic phase and the aqueous phase of the distillation zone to an extraction column to form a methanol rich aqueous effluent and an organic effluent comprising methyl acrylate.

Abstract: A method for preparing methyl acrylate comprises heating in a reaction zone a mixture comprising acrylic acid, methanol, and an acid catalyst to react and form a reaction product comprising methyl acrylate which is vaporized with other light components and then fed to a distillation zone. A feed stream entering the reaction zone comprises methanol and acrylic acid in a molar ratio of greater than 1 and less than 2, and a residence time in the reaction zone ranges from 0.25 to 2 hours. A distillate from the distillation zone is condensed and phase-separated to form an organic phase comprising methyl acrylate and an aqueous phase. A portion of the organic phase is returned to the distillation zone as organic reflux. The remainder of the organic phase and the aqueous phase of the distillation zone is fed to an extraction column to form a methanol rich aqueous effluent and an organic effluent comprising methyl acrylate.

Abstract: There is provided a system and method for automated video segmentation of an input video signal. The input video signal capturing a playing surface of a team sporting event. The method including: receiving the input video signal; determining player position masks from the input video signal; determining optic flow maps from the input video signal; determining visual cues using the optic flow maps and the player position masks; classifying temporal portions of the input video signal for game state using a trained hidden Markov model, the game state comprising either game in play or game not in play, the hidden Markov model receiving the visual cues as input features, the hidden Markov model trained using training data comprising a plurality of visual cues for previously recorded video signals each with labelled play states; and outputting the classified temporal portions.

Abstract: A method for preparing methyl acrylate comprises: a) heating in a reaction zone a mixture comprising acrylic acid, methanol, and an acid catalyst to react and form a reaction product comprising methyl acrylate which is vaporized with other light components and then fed to a distillation zone, wherein a feed stream entering the reaction zone comprises methanol to acrylic acid in a molar ratio of greater than 1 and less than 2, and a residence time in the reaction zone ranges from 0.25 to 2 hours; b) condensing and phase-separating a distillate from the distillation zone to form an organic phase comprising methyl acrylate and an aqueous phase; c) returning a portion of the organic phase to the distillation zone as organic reflux; and d) feeding the remainder of the organic phase and the aqueous phase of the distillation zone to an extraction column to form a methanol rich aqueous effluent and an organic effluent comprising methyl acrylate.

Abstract: A method for preparing methyl acrylate comprises heating in a reaction zone a mixture comprising acrylic acid, methanol, and an acid catalyst to react and form a reaction product comprising methyl acrylate which is vaporized with other light components and then fed to a distillation zone. A feed stream entering the reaction zone comprises methanol and acrylic acid in a molar ratio of greater than 1 and less than 2, and a residence time in the reaction zone ranges from 0.25 to 2 hours. A distillate from the distillation zone is condensed and phase-separated to form an organic phase comprising methyl acrylate and an aqueous phase. A portion of the organic phase is returned to the distillation zone as organic reflux. The remainder of the organic phase and the aqueous phase of the distillation zone is fed to an extraction column to form a methanol rich aqueous effluent and an organic effluent comprising methyl acrylate.

Abstract: A method for preparing methyl methacrylate from methacrolein and methanol; said method comprising contacting in a reactor a mixture comprising methacrolein, methanol and oxygen with a heterogeneous catalyst comprising a support and a noble metal, wherein pH at the reactor outlet is from 3 to 6.7.

Abstract: A method for preparing methyl methacrylate from methacrolein and methanol; said method comprising contacting in a reactor a mixture comprising methacrolein, methanol and oxygen with a heterogeneous catalyst comprising a support and a noble metal, wherein pH at the reactor outlet is from 3 to 6.7.

Abstract: The present invention relates to recovery of aqueous (meth)acrylic acid by condensation of a (meth)acrylic acid-containing stream to produce aqueous (meth)acylic acid having a higher concentration of (meth)acrylic acid and a lower concentration of formaldehyde, i.e., not more than 0.1 weight %, than the aqueous (meth)acrylic acid produced using hithertofore known separation methods. The (meth)acrylic acid-containing stream may be the raw product stream of catalytic oxidation at least one C2-C4 alkane or alkene.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reducing corrosion of distillation equipment during azeotropic distillation of (meth)acrylic acid in the presence of dissolved copper, by providing aqueous (meth)acrylic acid having not more than 0.1% by weight formaldehyde, based on the total weight of the aqueous (meth)acrylic acid. The source of the copper may, for example, be copper-based polymerization inhibitors added to the aqueous (meth)acrylic acid and/or distillation equipment.

Abstract: An engine air supply system includes an air source, which is a gas turbine engine in one example. A component, such as an environmental control system component, is interconnected to the air source by a conduit that includes a supply flow direction. A check valve is arranged in the conduit. The check valve includes a valve portion moveable in the supply flow direction from a closed position to an open position. The closed position is arranged at an acute angle relative to the supply flow direction. The check valve includes first and second valve portions that are hemi-elliptical in shape. The first and second valve portions are non-planar and arranged approximately 90 degrees apart when in the closed position. The first and second valve portions move toward one another from the closed position to the open position.

Abstract: An engine air supply system includes an air source, which is a gas turbine engine in one example. A component, such as an environmental control system component, is interconnected to the air source by a conduit that includes a supply flow direction. A check valve is arranged in the conduit. The check valve includes a valve portion moveable in the supply flow direction from a closed position to an open position. The closed position is arranged at an acute angle relative to the supply flow direction. The check valve includes first and second valve portions that are hemi-elliptical in shape. The first and second valve portions are non-planar and arranged approximately 90 degrees apart when in the closed position. The first and second valve portions move toward one another from the closed position to the open position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reducing corrosion of distillation equipment during azeotropic distillation of (meth)acrylic acid in the presence of dissolved copper, by providing aqueous (meth)acrylic acid having not more than 0.1% by weight formaldehyde, based on the total weight of the aqueous (meth)acrylic acid. The source of the copper may, for example, be copper-based polymerization inhibitors added to the aqueous (meth)acrylic acid and/or distillation equipment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to recovery of aqueous (meth)acrylic acid by condensation of a (meth)acrylic acid-containing stream to produce aqueous (meth)acylic acid having a higher concentration of (meth)acrylic acid and a lower concentration of formaldehyde, i.e., not more than 0.1 weight %, than the aqueous (meth)acrylic acid produced using hithertofore known separation methods. The (meth)acrylic acid-containing stream may be the raw product stream of catalytic oxidation at least one C2-C4 alkane or alkene.

Abstract: An obstacle device for use on a playing field has a base and a frame approximating in shape the front profile of a human head and torso. The frame is coupled to the base. The frame includes a collapsible frame member that has an expanded configuration that defines an expanded frame area. The frame member also has a collapsed configuration that defines a collapsed frame area that is less than the expanded frame area. A covering material is attached to the frame so that the covering material is spread by the frame when the frame member is in the expanded configuration. At least two of the obstacle devices may be provided as an obstacle device kit.

Abstract: Automation objects are implemented in a client-server model to control operations on one or more client machines from a single machine automation control module, such as a test program. The machine automation control module instantiates machine automation server objects in a server process. The control module can then instruct the server objects to instantiate corresponding machine automation client objects on specified client machines via a connection mechanism. Object-oriented automation classes are provided in a library and may be extended to meet customized requirements of a given testing procedure. Examples of automation objects may include, without limitation, application objects, machine image objects, snapshot objects, file and registry access objects, reboot objects, autologon objects, and command execution objects. Automation objects allow the re-establishment of remote control after the loss of control resulting from a reboot, a relogon, or a disk image restoration, for example.

Abstract: A process is provided herein for the high yield production of high purity glacial methacrylic acid (“HPMAA”) that is substantially pure, specifically 99% pure or greater, with water content of 0.05% or less and low levels of other impurities, including HIBA, acrylic acid, MOMPA, methacrolein and others. This improved process comprises providing a crude MAA stream and purifying the crude methacrylic acid stream in a series of successive distillation steps involving two distillation columns. The inventive process is capable producing high purity methacrylic acid product that is especially suitable for the production of specialty MAA polymers.

Abstract: An apparatus for indicating when a predetermined portion of a sacrificial anode has been corroded comprises a detector embedded within the interior of the sacrificial anode initially at a predetermined distance from an exposed exterior surface of the sacrificial anode. The detector detects the absence of sacrificial anode material when the predetermined portion has corroded and generates a detection signal. A monitoring system communicates with the detector for receiving detection signals and generates an indicator signal when a detection signal is received. An indicator in communication with the monitoring system receives indicator signals and generates an alarm when an indicator signal is received.

Abstract: An obstacle device for use on a playing field has a base and a frame approximating in shape the front profile of a human head and torso. The frame is coupled to the base. The frame includes a collapsible frame member that has an expanded configuration that defines an expanded frame area. The frame member also has a collapsed configuration that defines a collapsed frame area that is less than the expanded frame area. A covering material is attached to the frame so that the covering material is spread by the frame when the frame member is in the expanded configuration.

Abstract: An apparatus for indicating when a predetermined portion of a sacrificial anode has been corroded comprises a detector embedded within the interior of the sacrificial anode initially at a predetermined distance from an exposed exterior surface of the sacrificial anode. The detector detects the absence of sacrificial anode material when the predetermined portion has corroded and generates a detection signal. A monitoring system communicates with the detector for receiving detection signals and generates an indicator signal when a detection signal is received. An indicator in communication with the monitoring system receives indicator signals and generates an alarm when an indicator signal is received.