Abstract: The present disclosure provides a composite structure and associated method for preparing a composite substrate comprising an inorganic coating that is adhered to an organic-based substrate via an adhesion promoting agent comprising a molecule having a urea moiety at one end of the molecule and an alkoxysilane moiety at the other end of the molecule. The use of adhesion promoting agent having at least one of an amine or imine moiety and an alkoxysilane moiety promotes tight adhesion of the inorganic coating to the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of a vaginal temperature sensing apparatus, a visually sense-able battery power-on indicator (16), manufacturing with cure temperatures that protect a battery, substantially error-free, user-initiated device activation componentry (30) to start battery power, and a timer to automatically terminate flow of battery power. Data can by an automatic data transform recalculator (138) with body temperature dips in transformed and recalculated diurnal high body temperatures predict an ovulation event and provide an indication through a zenith based ovulation indicator (106). Systems can include neural network based artificial intelligence to automatically self-improve by using historical or even other, multi user data and user input and improve its indication result.

Abstract: Embodiments of a vaginal temperature sensing apparatus, a visually sense-able battery power-on indicator (16), manufacturing with cure temperatures that protect a battery, substantially error-free, user-initiated device activation componentry (30) to start battery power, and a timer to automatically terminate flow of battery power. Data can by an automatic data transform recalculator (138) with body temperature dips in transformed and recalculated diurnal high body temperatures predict an ovulation event and provide an indication through a zenith based ovulation indicator (106). Systems can include neural network based artificial intelligence to automatically self-improve by using historical or even other, multi user data and user input and improve its indication result.

Abstract: Migration of formation solids in a wellbore is restrained by feeding a slurry, comprising water, a viscosifier, and a concentration of cement clinker particles, into the wellbore, and hydrating the clinker particles in the wellbore. The clinker particles are kept in suspension during the hydrating, and upon completion of the hydrating the hydrated clinker particles form a hardened cement consisting of a permeable structure of interconnected hydrated clinker particles. A layer of degradable lost circulation material (LCM) may be employed to separate the slurry with clinker particles from the formation surrounding the wellbore during hydrating of the clinker particles.

Abstract: A cleaning system is disclosed for cleaning concrete residue from a concrete mixer truck. The cleaning system may include a water delivery system having one or more conduits configured to deliver pressurized water to one or more spray headers positioned at various back-end portions of the truck. The cleaning system further includes one or more valves configured to control the flow of pressurized water through the one or more conduits to the one or more spray headers. In various embodiments, the one or more valves are manually operable to control the release of water to the spray headers. In other embodiments, the one or more valves are controlled by a computing device through an electrical coupling such as a communication bus. The cleaning system may be configured to clean different portions of the truck using different sets of spray headers at different times as part of a washing protocol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to touch sensor systems and methods incorporating an interpolated variable impedance touch sensor array and specifically to such systems and methods for indirect force-aware touch control. An exemplary method for receiving an adjustment gesture formed on or about a plurality of sensor panels on a plurality of faces of a device includes detecting two or more touches at a first time at the plurality of sensor panels and determining that the touches at the first time are arranged in a pattern corresponding to a predetermined gesture. The method further includes determining a relative pressure between the touches, associating the gesture with a user interface element (that accepts an adjustment input based on the relative pressure between the two or more touches) and providing an input to the user interface element based on the gesture and relative pressure between the touches.

Abstract: The present invention relates to touch-sensor detector systems and methods incorporating an interpolated variable impedance touch sensor array and specifically to such systems and methods for force-aware interaction with handheld display devices on one or more surfaces of the device. An exemplary embodiment includes a method for receiving a flexing gesture formed on a sensor panel of the handheld device including determining two or more pressure inputs at the sensor panel and determining a relative pressure between the two or more pressure inputs. The method further includes correlating the relative pressure inputs to the flexing gesture, associating the flexing gesture with a UI element and providing an input to the UI element based on the gesture and the relative pressure between the two or more pressure inputs.

Abstract: An implantable hearing unit is provided that includes an implantable microphone, a rechargeable power storage device and a speech signal processor. The hearing unit further includes a signal coupling device that is adapted for electrical interconnection to an implantable auditory stimulation device, which is operative to stimulate an auditory component of a patient. Such a stimulation device may include cochlear implants, brain stern stimulation systems, auditory nerve stimulation systems, and middle or inner ear transducer systems. The signal coupling device is operative to provide processed drive signals from the signal processor to the stimulation device as well provide power from the power storage device to operate the stimulation device. In one arrangement, the signal coupling device is a wireless coupling between first and second coils. In such an arrangement, the hearing unit may be utilized with an existing implanted stimulation device to make that device a fully implanted hearing system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to interpolated variable impedance touch sensor arrays for force-aware large-surface device interaction. An exemplary system for detecting a continuous pressure curve includes a plurality of physical variable impedance array (VIA) columns connected by interlinked impedance columns and a plurality of physical VIA rows connected by interlinked impedance rows. The system also includes a plurality of column drive sources connected to the interlinked impedance columns and to the plurality of physical VIA columns through the interlinked impedance columns as well as a plurality of row sense sinks connected to the interlinked impedance rows and to the plurality of physical VIA rows through the interlinked impedance rows. Further, the system includes a processor configured to interpolate the continuous pressure curve in the physical VIA columns and physical VIA rows from an electrical signal from the plurality of column drive sources sensed at the plurality of row sense sinks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to touch sensor detectors incorporating interpolated variable impedance touch sensor arrays and specifically to detectors for non-planar touch controls. Variable impedance touch sensor arrays are applied to the surface of objects, inside objects, or other objects such that touches are detected directly or indirectly from the non-planar touch controls. An exemplary system includes a plurality of sensor panels on a plurality of device and a processor communicatively coupled to the sensor panels. The sensor panels include a plurality of physical VIA columns connected by interlinked impedance columns and a plurality of physical VIA rows connected by interlinked impedance rows. The processor detects touches at a first time at the sensor panels, determines that the two or more touches at the first time are arranged in a pattern corresponding to a predetermined gesture, and determines a relative pressure between the two or more touches.

Abstract: The present invention relates to touch sensor detector systems and methods incorporating an interpolated variable impedance touch sensor array and specifically to such systems and methods for gesture recognition and associating a UI element with the recognized gesture. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a variable impedance array (VIA) system for receiving a gesture that includes: a plurality of physical VIA columns connected by interlinked impedance columns; a plurality of physical VIA rows connected by interlinked impedance rows; and a processor configured to interpolate a location and/or pressure of the gesture in the physical columns and rows from an electrical signal from a plurality of column drive sources (connected to the plurality of physical VIA columns through the interlinked impedance columns) sensed at a plurality of row sense sinks (connected to the plurality of physical VIA rows through the interlinked impedance rows).

Abstract: An intraluminal retractor includes a shapeable element formed by a series of shaping segments. The shaping segments may be associated with one another in a relaxed configuration that imparts the shapeable element with a linear, substantially linear or curvilinear shape to enable its insertion into an interior space within a subject's body. When actuated, the shaping segments may assume a contracted configuration that imparts the shapeable element with a desired shape, which may move an organ within which or against which the shapeable element is positioned, change a path of the organ and/or alter a shape of the organ. Methods for altering the locations, paths and/or shapes of organs are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for balancing loss energy distribution in a drive circuit which drives a resonant load. The method includes the steps of using a plurality of switches to modulate a flow of electrical energy to a resonant load, and providing each of the plurality of switches with a diode connected in anti-parallel to its respective switch. The method further includes generating a voltage-modulated waveform across the resonant load which results in a first amount of loss energy distributed equally among the plurality of switches, and a second amount of loss energy distributed equally among the diodes.

Abstract: An implantable hearing unit is provided that includes an implantable microphone, a rechargeable power storage device and a speech signal processor. The hearing unit further includes a signal coupling device that is adapted for electrical interconnection to an implantable auditory stimulation device, which is operative to stimulate an auditory component of a patient. Such a stimulation device may include cochlear implants, brain stem stimulation systems, auditory nerve stimulation systems, and middle or inner ear transducer systems. The signal coupling device is operative to provide processed drive signals from the signal processor to the stimulation device as well provide power from the power storage device to operate the stimulation device. In one arrangement, the signal coupling device is a wireless coupling between first and second coils. In such an arrangement, the hearing unit may be utilized with an existing implanted stimulation device to make that device a fully implanted hearing system.

Abstract: Real time, dynamic management of real estate finance, services, and reporting maintains a website accessible to a homeowner and an investor that displays terms, parameters, and upcoming actions under a housing finance arrangement; stores a housing instrument in a blockchain; implements adjustments under a balancing mechanism; receives, periodically, a message from a managing entity initiating a balancing entry onto the housing instrument; transmits a query to the blockchain for data relevant to a balancing calculation; receives the data; determines an updated balance; writes an updated account balance along with details of the computation on the housing instrument in the blockchain, modifies a website accessible to the homeowner and investor to display the updated account balance, and alerts the homeowner and investor of the updated account balance through a mobile device.

Abstract: For each one of a plurality of subsequent access points, a respective quantity of client devices that roam from a current access point to each of the respective plurality of subsequent access points may be determined. Then, for each one of the plurality of subsequent access points based on the determined quantity of client devices that roam from the current access point to each of the plurality of subsequent access points, a corresponding respective weight indicating a likelihood of its respective corresponding one of the plurality of subsequent access points being roamed to may be determined. Next, a table may be created indicating the desirability of at least a portion of the plurality of subsequent access points to be roamed to based upon the corresponding respective weight of the plurality of subsequent access points indicated in the table. The current access point may be provided with the table.

Abstract: A welding-type power system than includes a power supply, a DC power bus, an energy storage device, and a bi-directional converter. The bi-directional converter configured to connect the DC power bus to the energy storage device, and further configured to convert power from the DC power bus to the energy storage device to charge the energy storage device, and to convert power from the energy storage device to the DC power bus in response to a power demand on the DC power bus. The bi-directional converter further configured to balance the DC power bus. A controller is configured to control the duty cycle of the bi-directional converter in order to balance the DC power bus, and control the flow of power between the energy storage device and the DC power bus.

Abstract: For count loss correction, the capability of the discriminator, measured periodically, to detect an event is identified. Rather than inserting an actual event or a signal emulating an actual event for discrimination, the capability to discriminate is tested by a virtual injection. The count loss may be directly measured without causing extra actual discrimination by the discriminator. Direct measurement with virtual testing may avoid loss of accuracy due to time and use-case variation.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for estimating count loss in a gamma camera comprising injecting a synthetic pulse at a given rate into a data stream emanating from a photo detector; integrating the synthetic pulse into the data stream to form an integrated data stream; determining a number of synthetic pulses from the data stream that pass onto a final image; and determining the count loss from the Equation (2) Percent ? ? Count ? ? Loss = ( Number ? ? of ? ? pulses ? ? introduced - Number ? ? of ? ? pulses ? ? detected ) × 100 Number ? ? of ? ? pulses ? ? ? introduced .

Abstract: An intraluminal retractor includes a shapable element formed by a series of shaping segments. The shaping segments may be associated with one another in a relaxed configuration that imparts the shapable element with a linear, substantially linear or curvilinear shape to enable its insertion into an interior space within a subject's body. When actuated, the shaping segments may assume a contracted configuration that imparts the shapable element with a desired shape, which may move an organ within which or against which the shapable element is positioned, change a path of the organ and/or alter a shape of the organ. Methods for altering the locations, paths and/or shapes of organs are also disclosed.