Abstract: A manufacturing system includes a cutting machine, an adhesion machine, and a pick-and-place system. The cutting machine sequentially cuts a continuous length of a unidirectional prepreg into prepreg segments. Each prepreg segment has an opposing pair of segment cut edges that are non-parallel to a lengthwise direction of the unidirectional prepreg. The adhesion machine has a conveyor belt and an adhesion station. The pick-and-place system sequentially picks up the prepreg segments from the cutting machine, and places the prepreg segments in end-to-end relation on the conveyor belt, and in an orientation such that the segment cut edges are generally parallel to a lengthwise direction of the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt feeds the prepreg segments to the adhesion station. The adhesion station adheres the prepreg segments to a continuous length of a backing material, thereby resulting in a continuous length of a backed cross-ply prepreg.

Abstract: A system for monitoring a position of a vehicle in a lane of a road, the system comprising: a processor; a first camera configured to output first image data relating to a surface of the road on a first side of the vehicle; a second camera configured to output second image data relating to a surface of the road on a second side of the vehicle, wherein the processor is configured to determine if the vehicle is at risk of straying outside the lane based on the first image data or the second image data and auxiliary data received by the processor

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel immunoregulatory macrophage cells which are useful in the treatment of different immunological and non-immunological diseases and conditions. The cells are characterized by a specific marker and activity pattern which distinguishes them from other cells. The invention also provides a process for preparing the immunoregulatory macrophage cells from blood monocytes. In a still further aspect, the invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the immunoregulatory macrophage cells of the invention or a sub-cellular fraction thereof. A process for preparing a sub-cellular fraction of an immunoregulatory macrophage cell of the invention is also provided.

Abstract: An elevator system wherein a cab is moved within a shaft by a tractive drive system that transmits torque frictional force on the interior surface of the shaft, enabling the cab to travel without cables and travel for long distances. The tractive drive system automatically regulates these normal forces. A method of controlling a plurality of these cabs disposed within a plurality of shafts by means of electronic systems.

Abstract: A manufacturing system includes a cutting machine, an adhesion machine, and a pick-and-place system. The cutting machine sequentially cuts a continuous length of a unidirectional prepreg into prepreg segments. Each prepreg segment has an opposing pair of segment cut edges that are non-parallel to a lengthwise direction of the unidirectional prepreg. The adhesion machine has a conveyor belt and an adhesion station. The pick-and-place system sequentially picks up the prepreg segments from the cutting machine, and places the prepreg segments in end-to-end relation on the conveyor belt, and in an orientation such that the segment cut edges are generally parallel to a lengthwise direction of the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt feeds the prepreg segments to the adhesion station. The adhesion station adheres the prepreg segments to a continuous length of a backing material, thereby resulting in a continuous length of a backed cross-ply prepreg.

Abstract: An apparatus for filtering multiple images so that they can be stitched together to form a blended image, the apparatus comprising a plurality of filters configured such that: (i) each filter is configured to process only images from the multiple images that will be non-overlapping with each other in the blended image; and (ii) images that will overlap with each other in the blended image are processed by different filters.

Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods for creating wound material portions for incorporation into an article of footwear. More particularly, one method of manufacturing at least a portion of an upper for an article of footwear, in accordance with the invention, includes the steps of providing a support structure, providing a fiber delivery system, tacking a first end of a first fiber onto the support structure, moving the support structure with respect to the fiber delivery system to wind the first fiber around the support structure, cutting a second end of the first fiber upon positioning of the first fiber onto the support structure, and treating at least a portion of the first fiber to fixedly hold it in a wound arrangement and form a fabric layer for incorporation into an article of footwear.

Abstract: An apparatus for combining multiple images to form a blended image, configured to identify regions of overlap: (i) in a first image and in a second image, corresponding to where those first and second images will overlap each other in the blended image; and (ii) in the first image and in a third image, corresponding to where those first and third images will overlap each other in the blended image, identify an image quality associated with each region of overlap, determine a gain for each image that, when applied to the image as a whole, will minimise a sum of: (i) a difference between the image qualities associated with the regions of overlap in the first and second images; and (ii) a difference between the image qualities associated with the regions of overlap in the first and third images and apply the respective gains to the first, second and third images.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel immunoregulatory macrophage cells which are useful in the treatment of different immunological and non-immunological diseases and conditions. The cells are characterized by a specific marker and activity pattern which distinguishes them from other cells. The invention also provides a process for preparing the immunoregulatory macrophage cells from blood monocytes. In a still further aspect, the invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the immunoregulatory macrophagecells of the invention or a sub-cellular fraction thereof. A process for preparing a sub-cellular fraction of an immunoregulatory macrophage cell of the invention is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for identifying compounds that are able to modulate the development of certain regulatory T cells which are induced by regulatory macrophages. Since induced regulatory T cells (iTregs) play a crucial role in diseases and pathological conditions, the method is highly suitable for identifying potentially active therapeutics. The method is particularly suitable for the screening of large libraries of candidate drug substances, such as small molecule or antibody libraries.

Abstract: An apparatus for filtering multiple images so that they can be stitched together to form a blended image, the apparatus comprising a plurality of filters configured such that: (i) each filter is configured to process only images from the multiple images that will be non-overlapping with each other in the blended image; and (ii) images that will overlap with each other in the blended image are processed by different filters.

Abstract: An apparatus for combining multiple images to form a blended image, configured to identify regions of overlap: (i) in a first image and in a second image, corresponding to where those first and second images will overlap each other in the blended image; and (ii) in the first image and in a third image, corresponding to where those first and third images will overlap each other in the blended image, identify an image quality associated with each region of overlap, determine a gain for each image that, when applied to the image as a whole, will minimise a sum of: (i) a difference between the image qualities associated with the regions of overlap in the first and second images; and (ii) a difference between the image qualities associated with the regions of overlap in the first and third images and apply the respective gains to the first, second and third images.

Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods for creating wound material portions for incorporation into an article of footwear. More particularly, one method of manufacturing at least a portion of an upper for an article of footwear, in accordance with the invention, includes the steps of providing a support structure, providing a fiber delivery system, tacking a first end of a first fiber onto the support structure, moving the support structure with respect to the fiber delivery system to wind the first fiber around the support structure, cutting a second end of the first fiber upon positioning of the first fiber onto the support structure, and treating at least a portion of the first fiber to fixedly hold it in a wound arrangement and form a fabric layer for incorporation into an article of footwear.

Abstract: A portable level sensor for a flexible bag for collecting a fluid and/or a solid, and a system and method for sensing the content level of a flexible bag using the portable level sensor. The sensor comprises a flexible resistor element with an electrical resistance that changes in dependence upon its degree of flexing, means for attaching the resistor element to an outside surface of the flexible bag and means for periodically polling the electrical resistance of the resistor element and transmitting to a receiver a signal which varies in dependence on the said electrical resistance.

Abstract: Multiple functional systems are integrated to configure a portable handheld decision-aid device for first responder medics. Fuzzy membership functions of “life” and “death” are used to determine the status of fallen people using remote measurements. EO/IR cameras can be used to detect and identify casualties in a mass injury situation, while also estimating body temperature. Using the temperature, along with the remote estimation of a second vital sign, the life membership proportion can be estimated from the ground truth by using a 2D projection of stable vital signs. The other fuzzy membership function, death, can be estimated by the presence or absence of peri-mortem and post-mortem molecules. These molecules are only released after death and provide a certain indication of death. Solid state UV laser resonance Raman backscattering from these molecules allows the device to analyze the molecules present in a plume around the casualty.

Abstract: A portable level sensor for a flexible bag for collecting a fluid and/or a solid, and a system and method for sensing the content level of a flexible bag using the portable level sensor. The sensor comprises a flexible resistor element with an electrical resistance that changes in dependence upon its degree of flexing, means for attaching the resistor element to an outside surface of the flexible bag and means for periodically polling the electrical resistance of the resistor element and transmitting to a receiver a signal which varies in dependence on the said electrical resistance.

Abstract: Multiple functional systems are integrated to configure a portable handheld decision-aid device for first responder medics. Fuzzy membership functions of “life” and “death” are used to determine the status of fallen people using remote measurements. EO/IR cameras can be used to detect and identify casualties in a mass injury situation, while also estimating body temperature. Using the temperature, along with the remote estimation of a second vital sign, the life membership proportion can be estimated from the ground truth by using a 2D projection of stable vital signs. The other fuzzy membership function, death, can be estimated by the presence or absence of peri-mortem and post-mortem molecules. These molecules are only released after death and provide a certain indication of death. Solid state UV laser resonance Raman backscattering from these molecules allows the device to analyze the molecules present in a plume around the casualty.

Abstract: Multiple functional systems are integrated to configure a portable handheld decision-aid device for first responder medics. Fuzzy membership functions of “life” and “death” are used to determine the status of fallen people using remote measurements. EO/IR cameras can be used to detect and identify casualties in a mass injury situation, while also estimating body temperature. Using the temperature, along with the remote estimation of a second vital sign, the life membership proportion can be estimated from the ground truth by using a 2D projection of stable vital signs. The other fuzzy membership function, death, can be estimated by the presence or absence of peri-mortem and post-mortem molecules. These molecules are only released after death and provide a certain indication of death. Solid state UV laser resonance Raman backscattering from these molecules allows the device to analyze the molecules present in a plume around the casualty.

Abstract: Multiple functional systems are integrated to configure a portable handheld decision-aid device for first responder medics. Fuzzy membership functions of “life” and “death” are used to determine the status of fallen people using remote measurements. EO/IR cameras can be used to detect and identify casualties in a mass injury situation, while also estimating body temperature. Using the temperature, along with the remote estimation of a second vital sign, the life membership proportion can be estimated from the ground truth by using a 2D projection of stable vital signs. The other fuzzy membership function, death, can be estimated by the presence or absence of peri-mortem and post-mortem molecules. These molecules are only released after death and provide a certain indication of death. Solid state UV laser resonance Raman backscattering from these molecules allows the device to analyze the molecules present in a plume around the casualty.

Abstract: Techniques for performing timer-based sleep to extend sleep time and thus battery life for a terminal in a wireless communication system. The likelihood of data traffic may be related to recent usage. If recent usage indicates that data traffic is unlikely, then the terminal can continue to maintain the link but monitor the signals from the system at a reduced rate. In one method, the probability of data traffic for the terminal is initially estimated (e.g., based on time since last activity and a particular usage model). A timer value is then determined based on the estimated probability of data traffic. The timer value may be modified based on an event, which may relate to link maintenance, hand-off, and so on. Sleep is then performed for the duration corresponding to the unmodified or modified timer value and may extend past one or more designated paging slots.