Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a light source configured to emit an optical signal. The light source includes a seed laser diode configured to produce a seed optical signal and a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) configured to amplify the seed optical signal to produce an amplified seed optical signal, where the emitted optical signal includes the amplified seed optical signal. The light source further includes an electronic driver configured to supply electrical current to the seed laser diode and electrical current to the SOA. The lidar system also includes a receiver configured to detect a portion of the emitted optical signal scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The lidar system further includes a processor configured to determine the distance from the lidar system to the target.

Abstract: A power pedestal is described. The power pedestal includes a plurality of receptacles that are configured to connect to external devices. The plurality of receptacles includes a first receptacle and a second receptacle of the plurality of receptacles. The first receptacle and the second receptacle are electrically interlocked with one another. The power pedestal includes a first circuit breaker connected to the first receptacle and a second circuit breaker connected to the second receptacle, and a shunt trip circuit that is configured to trip the first circuit breaker to disable power to the first receptacle of the power pedestal, responsive to the second circuit breaker associated with the second receptacle of the power pedestal being in an active state. Related devices and methods are also described.

Abstract: A retractor for use in surgical operations comprises a first blade, a second blade, and a third blade. In operation, the blades are initially in a closed position to assume a low profile during insertion. The blades can be independently translated and independently pivoted, thereby stretching the skin about the incision to form an aperture larger than the incision. In some embodiments, a method of performing an operation on a patient using the disclosed retractor is provided.

Abstract: A surgical end effector that includes first and second jaws that are selectively movable between a fully open position and a fully closed position relative to each other. At least one expandable tissue stop is located on one of the first and second jaws and is configured to extend between first and second jaw surfaces on the first and second jaws as the first and second jaws move between the fully open and the fully closed positions.

Abstract: An inventory control system comprises an object storage device, a display device, and one or more processors. The object storage device includes a plurality of compartments, in which each compartment has a plurality of storage locations for storing objects. The display device is configured to display information about the object storage device. The one or more processors are configured to establish a description database of objects configured for storage in the inventory control system. The one or more processors retrieve object keywords corresponding to objects stored in the plurality of storage locations of one of the plurality of compartments. The one or more processors also generate a text block based on the retrieved object keywords. On the display device, the one or more processors display a representation of the plurality of compartments of the object storage device with the text block applied to the one of the plurality of compartments.

Abstract: The system and method for imaging having filter containing polarized elements, multispectral elements or both being oscillated in circular or linear motion so each individual pixel will view a scene thru the individual filters. The motion of the filter is synchronized with a frame rate of an imager. In one example this is accomplished by micro actuators. Each pixel sampling feeds a processor detection algorithm that determines if a multispectral/polarization signature is present in the scene.

Abstract: A vehicle assembly can include a vehicle body structure, a front seat, a rear seat, and a grab bar assembly. The vehicle body structure can define a passenger area. The front seat can be mounted to the vehicle body structure. The rear seat can be mounted to the vehicle body structure. The grab bar assembly can be mounted to the vehicle body structure. The grab bar assembly can include a grab bar, a spacer bar and a cover assembly. The grab bar can extend across the passenger area. The spacer bar can be attached to the grab bar, with a first gap formed between the spacer bar and the front seat, and a second gap formed between the spacer bar and the grab bar. The cover assembly can be attached to the spacer bar and positioned in the first gap.

Abstract: A method and system provide estimated tax refund data to a user of a tax return preparation system throughout personalized tax return preparation interview. The method and system receive current user tax related data associated with the user, retrieve tax rules data, and gather historical tax related data associated with historical users of the tax return preparation system. The method and system further generate probabilistic inference data including inferences about tax related characteristics of the user based on the historical tax related data and the tax rules data. The method and system provide estimated tax refund data to the user based on the probabilistic inference data.

Abstract: A melt-blown fabric for pouching smokeless tobacco or a smokeless tobacco substitute can include melt-blown polymer fibers. The fabric can have a basis weight of less than 30 gsm and a tensile strength of at least 4 mJ in at least one predetermined direction. Method of making the fabric can include melt-blowing a polymeric material against a support surface and bonding the fibers or arranging them in a predetermined orientation. Pouched smokeless tobacco or tobacco substitute products including the fabrics provided herein can provide desirable flavor and tactile experience.

Abstract: A store checkout verification system is disclosed, including at least one remote server, an integrated autonomous checkout system, at least one checkout verification system including a visual indicator, and at least one beacon. The at least one checkout verification system includes a hand-held tallying device including a scanner, memory, and a hand-held tallying device program encoded in the memory of the hand-held tallying device for recording a tally of items scanned with the scanner. The payment module includes a payment module program configured to receive a price corresponding to the tally and direct an electronic payment from an account associated with a user to a merchant in response to an instruction provided by the user. The checkout verification system activates the visual when the payment module has confirmed the electronic payment and the hand-held tallying device is within the predetermined distance of the at least one beacon.

Abstract: The present invention teaches multilayer cleaning articles that include a substantially dry surface contact layer and a gripping layer. The contact layer may represent one exposed major face of the cleaning article (e.g., a cleaning pad), while the gripping layer may represent the opposite exposed major face of the cleaning article. The contact layer may include abrasive synthetic fibers, so as to be effective in scrubbing soils and spills from a surface. The contact layer includes a cleaning composition pre-loaded therein. The cleaning composition is such that the contact layer feels dry to the touch prior to use, before wetting with water. The cleaning composition may include about 1% to about 40% by weight water. The gripping layer includes at least 40% by weight of pulp fibers (e.g., natural cellulose pulp fiber), and exhibits a mean hand grip value that is at least 0.015 l/in2 (reciprocal inches squared).

Abstract: The description relates to devices and device adjustment. One example can include a first portion that defines a cam pivot. The example can also include a height adjuster comprising a wedge and a positioning loop positioned over the cam pivot, such that rotation of a cam on the cam pivot to contact one cam follower of the positioning loop that moves the wedge toward another component or to contact an opposite cam follower of the positioning loop that moves the wedge away from the another component.

Abstract: The techniques disclosed herein permit active, non-transparent management of financial assets within an exchange-traded fund while yielding the traditional advantages of scale and cost efficiency for secondary market participants. The fund may supplement traditional periodic disclosures of holdings with additional information to facilitate accurate intraday pricing of ETF shares. In this context, a substitute basket may be engineered and published on a daily basis that closely tracks the fund composition, but contains an active share of about 5-30% relative to the fund in order to obfuscate the actual fund holdings. This substitute basket may advantageously provide a high quality signal of fund value, while also facilitating in-kind transactions in the primary market that are closely related to the fund composition without revealing specific fund holdings or weightings.

Abstract: A mount including a base and a handle. The base is capable of releasably coupling to a pole, for example outrigger poles, fishing rods, and shade poles. A handle of the mount can be loosened to allow the base to be rotated to position the pole in a desired extended direction. When the handle is tightened, the base is restricted from rotating.

Abstract: A gaming machine includes an input device and a processor coupled to the input device. The input device is configured to receive a game play event from a player. The processor is programmed to determine whether a jackpot trigger condition is satisfied based at least in part on the game play event. The jackpot trigger condition includes a target quantity of games played, a target set of game tokens, a target pattern of game symbols, and/or a target pattern of game play outcomes. The processor is further programmed to award a jackpot credit to one or more players when the jackpot trigger condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A system and method for the prioritization and dynamic presentation of digital content. Application-specific and trained machine learning models recognize situational events via active and passive monitoring, triggering specialized load-balancing of critical network data as well as dynamically optimizing graphical user interfaces (GUI). GUI optimization comprises changing the layout composition; omitting non-critical information or changing the color, transparency, size, or other properties of the GUI elements. Furthermore, the system may activate electronic devices designed to alert users to recognize identified events.

Abstract: A system and method for the secure and private demonstration of cloud-based cyber-security tools. Using an advanced sandboxing design patterns, isolated instances of virtual networks allow a potential client to compare their existing cyber defense tools against a set of cloud-based tools. Capitalizing on non-persistent and secure sandboxes allow the invention to demonstrate fully functional and devastating cyber-attacks while guaranteeing strict privacy and security to both existing customers and potential ones. Additionally, instantiating separate sandboxed observed systems in a single multi-tenant infrastructure provide each customer with the ability to rapidly create actual representations of their enterprise environment offering the most realistic and accurate demonstration and comparison between products.

Abstract: A surgical product supply system includes a cart having a first compartment and a second compartment. The first compartment has first, second, third and fourth walls. The first and second walls are constructed of radio-reflective material and the third and fourth walls are constructed of a radio-absorptive material. The first compartment has a first storage area. A first RFID antenna array is attached to the first wall and is positioned within the first storage area. The first RFID antenna array includes a first plurality of RFID antennas. A second RFID antenna array is attached to the second wall and is positioned within the first storage area. The second RFID antenna array includes a second plurality of RFID antennas. The first RFID antenna is offset relative to the second RFID antenna such that opposing central axes of the first and second RFID antennas are not colinear.

Abstract: An array of membranes comprising amphipathic molecules is formed using an apparatus comprising a support defining an array of compartments. Volumes comprising polar medium are provided within respective compartments and a layer comprising apolar medium is provided extending across the openings with the volumes. Polar medium is flowed across the support to displace apolar medium and form a layer in contact with the volumes, forming membranes comprising amphipathic molecules at the interfaces. In one construction of the apparatus, the support that comprises partitions which comprise inner portions and outer portions. The inner portions define inner recesses without gaps therebetween that are capable of constraining the volumes comprising polar medium contained in neighbouring inner recesses from contacting each other. The outer portions extend outwardly from the inner portions and have gaps allowing the flow of an apolar medium across the substrate.

Abstract: Memory array circuitry includes a semiconductor substrate, a continuous diffusion in the semiconductor substrate, memory bit-cell circuitry, and support circuitry for the memory bit-cell circuitry. The continuous diffusion is a contiguous doped region of the semiconductor substrate. The memory bit-cell circuitry includes a bit-cell transistor formed on the continuous diffusion. The support circuitry includes a support transistor also formed on the continuous diffusion. By including both a bit-cell transistor and a support transistor on the same continuous diffusion, the necessary isolation between the bit-cell circuitry and the support circuitry may be reduced and the bit-cell transistor and the support transistor may have reduced length of diffusion (LOD) effects.