Abstract: Systems and methods relating to improving the experience of gig-economy workers are disclosed, with particular reference to gig-economy work involving vehicle use. During or after performance of gig-economy work, data automatically collected may be used to generate and present recommendations or education points to gig-economy workers. Such recommendations may include targeted alerts to notify gig-economy workers of high-demand situations or to coordinate between gig-economy workers and gig-economy customers. Alerts may be generated based upon current excess demand for gig-economy services, as well as gig-economy worker availability and preferences. For example, alerts may be generated in response to detecting emergency conditions in an area in order to mobilize a large number of gig-economy transportation service providers.

Abstract: Devices configured to operate on an angled surface (e.g., a roof), and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, representative systems include an apparatus with a body assembly, an arm assembly coupled to the body assembly, and a material handling assembly coupled to the arm assembly. The body assembly can include a body frame, and a plurality of positioning assemblies coupleable to cables and configured to position and/or orient the body frame on the surface. The arm assembly includes a proximal end portion rotatably coupled to the body portion and a distal end portion opposite the proximal end portion. The material handling assembly is coupled to the distal end portion of the arm assembly and is configured to carry a surface material to be positioned on the angled surface.

Abstract: A respirator system includes a hood, a breathing tube, and an air purification device. The breathing tube is coupled to the hood and has an inner surface coated in an antimicrobial coating. The air purification device is coupled to the breathing tube and is further configured to deliver filtered air to the hood via the breathing tube. The air purification device includes a housing, a back pad, a filter, a fan, a power source, and a controller. The housing includes a front housing component and a rear housing component. The back pad is configured to provide a cushion between the rear housing component and the user's body. The fan is configured to pull ambient air through the filter and deliver the filtered air to the hood. The power source is configured to supply power to the fan. The controller is configured to regulate a speed of the fan.

Abstract: A track system on which a skater dolly can roll, comprising one or more pairs of rails and one or more rail clamps. Each rail clamp supports one or two pairs of rails. Rails held side-by-side are parallel to each other. Rail clamps can also secure two rails in end-to-end configuration. The distance between rails can be about 5/16 of an inch. The track system can include a skater dolly, the load-bearing wheels of which are angled 20-30 degrees away from vertical to provide clearance past the rail clamps. The skater also has stabilizing wheels that are approximately perpendicular to the load-bearing wheels, and which secure the skater to the rails when the skater is in a non-upright e.g. upside-down orientation. The system can include a motor pulley system that moves the skater along the rails.

Abstract: A vaporizer pen for heating and vaporizing a liquid product that is ingested by a user has an outer hollow tube with a proximal end and a distal end and an inner hollow tube within the outer hollow tube having a proximal end and a distal end. The inner tube defines a chamber inside. A mouthpiece abuts the proximal end of the outer hollow tube and an atomizing chamber is positioned within the outer hollow tube and abuts the distal end of the inner hollow tube. A porous stone has a proximal stone end and a distal stone end and is configured to retain the liquid product. The porous stone is positioned within the hollow inner tube and the distal stone end is in contact with the atomizing chamber. A heating element is in communication with the atomizing chamber and is constructed of a ceramic material.

Abstract: An access port for transporting fluids into a patient's body utilizing a multiple seals in parallel is disclosed. The access port 100 includes a flanged base 102, a receptacle 106 with multiple seals 108 and 110, and a cannula 104. The access port may also include a guide needle for installation purposes, and a sanitary adaptor that seals the receptacle for long term usage. Adhesives or bandaging may utilize the flanged base to secure the access port to the patient. The flanged base may also be installed beneath the patient's skin so secure the access port. The receptacle utilizes a multitude of sealing mechanism, including but not limited to O-ring seals and screw-lock seals. The receptacle additionally contains and outlet flow path leading to the cannula. The cannula connects from the receptacle into the patient's body. The cannula is installed perpendicular to the plane of the flanged base and protrudes on the side of the access port facing into the patient's body while the receptacle faces outward.

Abstract: A track system on which a skater dolly can roll, comprising one or more pairs of rails and one or more rail clamps. Each rail clamp supports one or two pairs of rails. Rails held side-by-side are parallel to each other. Rail clamps can also secure two rails in end-to-end configuration. The distance between rails can be about 5/16 of an inch. The track system can include a skater dolly, the load-bearing wheels of which are angled 20-30 degrees away from vertical to provide clearance past the rail clamps. The skater also has stabilizing wheels that are approximately perpendicular to the load-bearing wheels, and which secure the skater to the rails when the skater is in a non-upright e.g. upside-down orientation. The system can include a motor pulley system that moves the skater along the rails.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for separately loading and managing foreground work and background work of an application. In some embodiments, a method is provided for use by an operating system executing on at least one computer. The operating system may identify at least one foreground component and at least one background component of an application, and may load the at least one foreground component for execution separately from the at least one background component. For example, the operating system may execute the at least one foreground component without executing the at least one background component. In some further embodiments, the operating system may use a specification associated with the application to identify at least one piece of computer executable code implementing the at least one background component.

Abstract: A track system on which a skater dolly can roll, comprising one or more pairs of rails and one or more rail clamps. Each rail clamp supports one or two pairs of rails. Rails held side-by-side are parallel to each other. Rail clamps can also secure two rails in end-to-end configuration. The distance between rails can be about 5/16 of an inch. The track system can include a skater dolly, the load-bearing wheels of which are angled 20-30 degrees away from vertical to provide clearance past the rail clamps. The skater also has stabilizing wheels that are approximately perpendicular to the load-bearing wheels, and which secure the skater to the rails when the skater is in a non-upright e.g. upside-down orientation. The system can include a motor pulley system that moves the skater along the rails.

Abstract: A vaporizer pen for heating and vaporizing a liquid product that is ingested by a user has an outer hollow tube with a proximal end and a distal end and an inner hollow tube within the outer hollow tube having a proximal end and a distal end. The inner tube defines a chamber inside. A mouthpiece abuts the proximal end of the outer hollow tube and an atomizing chamber is positioned within the outer hollow tube and abuts the distal end of the inner hollow tube. A porous stone has a proximal stone end and a distal stone end and is configured to retain the liquid product. The porous stone is positioned within the hollow inner tube and the distal stone end is in contact with the atomizing chamber. A heating element is in communication with the atomizing chamber and is constructed of a ceramic material.

Abstract: A vaporizer pen for heating and vaporizing a liquid product that is ingested by a user has an outer hollow tube with a proximal end and a distal end and an inner hollow tube within the outer hollow tube having a proximal end and a distal end. The inner tube defines a chamber inside. A mouthpiece abuts the proximal end of the outer hollow tube and an atomizing chamber is positioned within the outer hollow tube and abuts the distal end of the inner hollow tube. A porous stone has a proximal stone end and a distal stone end and is configured to retain the liquid product. The porous stone is positioned within the hollow inner tube and the distal stone end is in contact with the atomizing chamber. A heating element is in communication with the atomizing chamber and is constructed of a ceramic material.

Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for suspending logically related processes associated with an application, determining whether to resume a suspended process based upon one or more wake policies, and/or managing an application state of an application, such as timer and/or system message data. That is, logically related processes associated with an application, such as child processes, may be identified and suspended based upon logical relationships between the processes (e.g., a logical container hierarchy may be traversed to identify logically related processes). A suspended process may be resumed based upon a set of wake policies. For example, a suspended process may be resumed based upon an inter-process communication call policy that may be triggered by an application attempting to communicate with the suspended process. Application data may be managed while an application is suspended so that the application may be resumed in a current and/or relevant state.

Abstract: Anti-malware process protection techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an anti-malware process is launched. The anti-malware process is verified based at least in part on an anti-malware driver that contains certificate pairs which contain an identity that is signed with the trusted certificate from a verified source. After the anti-malware process is verified, the anti-malware process may be assigned a protection level, and an administrative user may be prevented from altering the anti-malware process.

Abstract: A track system on which a skater dolly can roll, comprising one or more pairs of rails and one or more rail clamps. Each rail clamp supports one or two pairs of rails. Rails held side-by-side are parallel to each other. Rail clamps can also secure two rails in end-to-end configuration. The distance between rails can be about 5/16 of an inch. The track system can include a skater dolly, the load-bearing wheels of which are angled 20-30 degrees away from vertical to provide clearance past the rail clamps. The skater also has stabilizing wheels that are approximately perpendicular to the load-bearing wheels, and which secure the skater to the rails when the skater is in a non-upright e.g. upside-down orientation. The system can include a motor pulley system that moves the skater along the rails.

Abstract: A firmware update system is described that collectively handles firmware updates for hardware resources of a computing device. The firmware update system may be configured to handle firmware updates in a consistent manner across different computing platforms/architectures. A data structure is defined to associate each updateable resource with a corresponding identifier to enumerate the updateable resources to the firmware update system. The firmware update system may reference the data structure to produce representations of the each individual resource that provide an operating system level abstraction through which detection, analysis, acquisition, deployment, installation, and tracking of firmware updates is managed. Using the representations, the firmware update system operates to discover available firmware updates collectively for the enumerated resources, match the updates to appropriate resources, and initiate installation of the updates.

Abstract: A spring-type brake actuator for a vehicle brake such as a pneumatically-actuated brake is provided, in which the actuator's operating rod is pulled toward the actuator to apply the brake. The actuator's parking brake release piston is located closer to the brake than the service brake piston, and the parking brake power spring is positioned between the mounting end of the actuator and the parking brake piston such that when parking brake release pressure is removed from the parking brake release chamber the parking brake piston biases the operating rod in the brake application direction, drawing the operating rod further into the actuator.

Abstract: A spring-type brake actuator for a vehicle brake such as a pneumatically-actuated brake is provided, in which the actuator's operating rod is pulled toward the actuator to apply the brake. The actuator's parking brake release piston is located closer to the brake than the service brake piston, and the parking brake power spring is positioned between the mounting end of the actuator and the parking brake piston such that when parking brake release pressure is removed from the parking brake release chamber the parking brake piston biases the operating rod in the brake application direction, drawing the operating rod further into the actuator.