Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods including a processor having addressable memory, the processor configured to: receive a trace-gas data packet, where the trace-gas data packet comprises a trace-gas concentration data from a trace-gas sensor and a location data for the trace-gas sensor from a location sensor, where the location data for the trace-gas sensor comprises a trajectory of the trace-gas sensor in space; receive at least one Meteorological data packet from one or more weather stations, where each weather station is distal from the trace-gas sensor, where each weather station generates a corresponding Meteorological data packet, where each Meteorological data packet comprises weather data; combine the trace-gas data packet with a selected spatial and temporal Meteorological data packet; and determine a trace-gas emission rate of a trace-gas source based on the combined trace-gas data packet and the selected Meteorological data packet.

Abstract: The technology provides a convenient and efficient way for business entities and other organizations to gather and transmit data from remotely located facilities without having to rely on satellite communication or specialized communication equipment. A geographically isolated facility may be used for manufacturing, warehousing, power generation, environmental monitoring, as well as other services. Information about the facility, its equipment and operation are transmitted to a back end system using high altitude platforms (HAPs). This provides opportunistic communication between remote facilities and the back-end system on an as-needed basis, for example based on bandwidth usage, peak/off-peak usage, etc. The HAPs may act as a store and forward service, or process received data before transmitting it to a ground station or the back end system. This approach allows an organization to periodically monitor its facilities, to determine equipment failure, resupply needs, and to assess the status of each facility.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic smoking device (10) and an additive reservoir (162). In order to be able to supply additive to liquid atomized by the electronic smoking device (10) at the user's choice, the electronic smoking device (10) comprises an additive inlet conduit (44) and the additive reservoir (162) comprises an additive outlet opening (72) that can be brought into communication with the additive inlet conduit (44).

Abstract: A backlight system controls a viewing angle in a switchable privacy display system that achieves a strong private mode and enhanced brightness in the private and public modes as compared to conventional configurations. The backlight system includes a first backlight unit that emits light from a non-viewing side of the backlight system toward a viewing side of the backlight system; a second backlight unit located on a viewing side of the first backlight unit that emits light toward the viewing side of the backlight system; and a privacy optic that includes a liquid crystal material and is located on a non-viewing side of the second backlight unit and between the first backlight unit and the second backlight unit, wherein the privacy optic operates to transmit light from the first backlight unit in a limited viewing angle range.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods related to generating and/or transmitting sensor measurement data are described. A device may include a first conductive pad positioned on a first surface of a substrate. The device may also include a second conductive pad positioned on a second, opposite surface of the substrate. Further, the device may include an inductive coil coupled between the first electrical pad and the second electrical pad. Also, the device may include a third conductive pad positioned on a third surface of the substrate and configured to couple to a sensor. The device may include a fourth conductive pad positioned on a fourth surface of the substrate and configured to couple to the sensor. The device may be configured to wirelessly transmit a signal.

Abstract: A flexible insulation material comprising a flexible porous medium defining a pore volume, and a phase change material (PCM) within the pore volume.

Abstract: A method includes generating, by an internal segmentation orchestrator, a key to cipher/decipher a cryptographic segmentation tag used by an untrusted device, transmitting the key to an external segmentation orchestrator, transmitting the cryptographic segmentation tag to the external segmentation orchestrator and provisioning a trusted network edge with the key and optionally the cryptographic segmentation tag. The method can also include onboarding, based on the key and the cryptographic segmentation tag, the untrusted device, wherein the untrusted device receives the cryptographic segmentation tag from the external segmentation orchestrator.

Abstract: A composite laminate stiffener is formed to contour with reduced ply wrinkling using constrained creep forming. The tooling apparatus is provided with flexible cauls which constrain the stiffener during the contour forming process. The creep forming is carried out at a slow enough rate so that friction or shear resistance between the resin and fibers of the plies remains low enough that slippage can occur and significant compression stresses are not generated rate, allowing relaxation of residual stresses in the stiffener.

Abstract: A quantum rod display device has an enhanced alignment of the quantum rods that is achieved by employing an aligned block copolymer material to align the quantum rods. The display device may be a transflective display device. The display device includes a liquid crystal layer and a quantum rod structure optically coupled to the liquid crystal layer. The quantum rod structure includes an aligned block copolymer material including a first polymer strain and a second polymer strain that are aligned relative to each other, and quantum rods that are embedded within either the first polymer strain or the second polymer strain, and the quantum rods are aligned by the alignment of the polymer strain in which the quantum rods are embedded. The quantum rod structure may be unpatterned whereby the quantum rod structure emits light of a single color or a combined color emission, or patterned into regions whereby at least two of the regions include quantum rods that emit light of different colors.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods including: an unmanned vehicle; a gas sensor attached to the unmanned vehicle, where the gas sensor is configured to measure ambient gas concentrations; and a ground control system (GCS), where the GCS is configured to display a location of the unmanned vehicle and a corresponding real-time ambient gas concentration detected by the gas sensor; and where the gas sensor is attached to the unmanned vehicle such that the gas sensor does not impair movement of the unmanned vehicle.

Abstract: A method of producing a non-dairy cheese includes fermenting non-dairy milk with lactic acid bacteria and mixing the fermented non-dairy milk with dry ingredients. The dry ingredients include one or more gums and one or more starches. The method further includes heating the fermented non-dairy milk and dry ingredients to 180 degrees and mixing oil into the fermented non-dairy milk in an in-line high shear mixer creating an oil/non-dairy milk mixture. The method further includes circulating the oil/non-dairy milk mixture through the inline high shear mixer until the droplet size of the oil in the non-dairy milk is 15 micrometers or less, removing air from the oil/non-dairy milk mixture, and packaging the oil/non-dairy milk mixture to yield a non-dairy cheese product.

Abstract: The disclosure provides methods for determining a wellness metric for a user. A physiological condition of the user is measured during a number of time intervals using at least one biosensor to acquire a measured signal and the measured signal is transferred to a processing unit. Inputs from the user regarding emotional state and activity can be requested and an emotional state input and an activity input are recorded into a memory unit. The measured signal and the activity input are analyzed to generate a stress value and the emotional state input is analyzed to generate a mood value. The wellness metric for the user is determined based on the stress value and the mood value and a recommendation is provided to the user of activities for improving the wellness metric.

Abstract: Financing obtained from a lender may be processed by a retailer in a manner similar to a credit card. For example, transaction data associated with a transaction to acquire one or more items from the retailer may be entered at a point of sale terminal of the retailer. A request may be sent for a temporary shopping pass associated with an account of a consumer at the lender. The temporary shopping pass may be used as a virtual payment instrument to access financing (e.g., a loan, a lease, or a credit) provided by the lender. After receiving the temporary shopping pass, the shopping pass data included in the temporary shopping pass, such as a one-time card number, may be entered into the point of sale terminal. The transaction may be completed by processing the shopping pass data as a credit card type tender using the point of sale terminal.

Abstract: System for use in building and deployment of an elongate element (202) in a J-lay operation. The system includes an upright structure (206); a winching element (204) retractable along an axis within the upright structure (206); a coupling element (210) connected to the winching element (204), for coupling the winching element (204) to an elongate element (202); and a catcher element (212) configured to retain the coupling element (210) in alignment with a predetermined axis within the upright structure (206) during retraction or extension of the winching element (204).

Abstract: A method of producing a non-dairy cheese includes fermenting non-dairy milk with lactic acid bacteria and mixing the fermented non-dairy milk with dry ingredients. The dry ingredients include one or more gums and one or more starches. The method further includes heating the fermented non-dairy milk and dry ingredients to 180 degrees and mixing oil into the fermented non-dairy milk in an in-line high shear mixer creating an oil/non-dairy milk mixture. The method further includes circulating the oil/non-dairy milk mixture through the inline high shear mixer until the droplet size of the oil in the non-dairy milk is 15 micrometers or less, removing air from the oil/non-dairy milk mixture, and packaging the oil/non-dairy milk mixture to yield a non-dairy cheese product.

Abstract: Mosquito control systems and devices are described herein. The devices include a connector positioned at a first end of the device, the connector configured to couple to a light bulb socket to provide power to the device; an LED light source positioned at a second end of the device; an electrocuting mechanism disposed between the connector and the LED light source, the electrocuting mechanism configured to electrocute the mosquitos upon the mosquitos upon contact; a carbon dioxide generating device configured to generate and release carbon dioxide to attract the mosquitos to the device; and a heater configured to generate and release heat to attract the mosquitos to the device.

Abstract: An integrated hole-in-one verification system with progressive reward, wherein the integrated hole-in-one verification system is associated with a golf hole. The golf hole includes a tee box and a green. The green has a hole. The integrated hole-in-one verification system includes a recording device, an activation device, a storage device and a hole-in-one reward claim device. The recording device is capable of recording at least a portion of the tee box and at least a portion of the green where the hole is located. The activation device causes the recording device to be activated. The storage device receives the recording of at least the portion of the tee box and at least the portion of the green where the hole is located. A hole-in-one reward claim device that when activated causes review of the recording of at least the portion of the tee box and at least the portion of the green where the hole is located to verify the hole-in-one.

Abstract: An assembly includes a pair of frame rails, each of the frame rails elongated along a vehicle-longitudinal axis and having a front portion, a rear portion, and an elevated portion above and between the front portion and the rear portion. The assembly includes a cross-support fixed to at least one of the frame rails at the elevated portion and extending along a cross-vehicle axis from one of the frame rails toward the other of the frame rails. The assembly includes a bracket fixed to the frame rail at the elevated portion and fixed to the cross-support.

Abstract: A nicotine delivery system is disclosed. The nicotine delivery system comprises an actuating mechanism and a housing that has a longitudinal axis and defines a chamber that is configured to receive a plunger and has an outlet for the passage of formulation out of the chamber. The actuating mechanism comprises an actuator and an actuation member. The actuator cooperates with the actuation member such that when a plunger is received in the chamber the plunger and the chamber slide relative to each other in an axial direction by a predetermined incremental distance upon each operation of the actuator to displace a predetermined volume of formulation from the chamber through said outlet.

Abstract: An electronic smoking device (210, 310, 410) has two portions (12, 13) wherein one of the portions (12, 13) comprises a cavity (240, 340, 440) for a liquid reservoir (234, 334, 434). The portions (12, 13) can be moved with respect to each other, by a movement and a respective counter movement, at least between an insertion configuration and a closed cavity configuration. In the insertion configuration a liquid reservoir (234, 334, 434) can be inserted into the cavity (340, 440). In a closed cavity configuration, the cavity (240, 340, 440) is closed by the other portion and a liquid reservoir opening element (70) of said one or the other portion opens the housed liquid reservoir (234, 334, 434).