Abstract: A head unit system for controlling an object includes a secondary object sensor and a head unit device that include shear thickening fluid (STF) and a chamber configured to contain the STF. The chamber further includes a front channel and a back channel. The head unit device further includes a piston housed at least partially radially within the piston compartment and separating the back channel and the front channel. The piston includes a first piston bypass and a second piston bypasses to control flow of the STF between opposite sides of the piston. The chamber further includes a set of fluid flow sensors and a set of fluid manipulation emitters to control the flow of the STF to cause selection of one of a variety of shear rates for the STF within the chamber to control motion of the object with regards to a secondary object.

Abstract: A method for execution by one or more computing devices of a storage network includes receiving an upgrade request for software of a set of dispersed storage units of a storage network. The method further includes selecting one or more dispersed storage units of the set of dispersed storage units for software upgrading based on available dispersed storage units such that at least an active number of dispersed storage units of the set of dispersed storage units remain active during an upgrade sequence associated with the software upgrading. The method further includes upgrading the software of the selected one or more dispersed storage units in accordance with the upgrade request.

Abstract: A head unit system for controlling an object includes a head unit device that includes shear thickening fluid (STF) and chambers containing the STF coupled by a hinge. The chambers each include gates between a front channel and a back channel. The gates include a bypass opening set. The head unit device further includes pistons housed at least partially radially within the chambers. The gates are configured to control flow of the STF between the front and back channels of the chambers to control rotational movement of the object.

Abstract: A method for execution by one or more computing devices of a storage network includes dispersed storage error encoding a data segment of data into a set of encoded data slices in accordance with an information dispersal algorithm width number and a decode threshold number, where the decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices are needed to reconstruct the data segment. The method further includes storing the set of encoded data slices in primary storage slots of a set of storage units deployed across multiple sites of the storage network in accordance with a mapping of the primary storage slots to storage units of the set of storage units, where a number of the primary storage slots is equal to or greater than the information dispersal algorithm width number.

Abstract: A method for execution by a computing device of a storage network includes detecting a shutdown associated with a local flash memory of the storage network, where a plurality of data segments are dispersed storage error encoded in accordance with distributed data storage parameters to produce pluralities of sets of encoded data slices, and the pluralities of sets of encoded data slices include encoded data slices stored in the local flash memory. The method further includes determining at least one storage location for transferring storage of a group of the encoded data slices. The method further includes transferring the group of the encoded data slices to the at least one storage location.

Abstract: A method for execution by a computing entity includes interpreting a fluid flow response from fluid flow sensors to produce a piston position of a piston associated with a head unit device. The head unit device includes a chamber filled with a shear thickening fluid (STF). The method further includes determining a door position based on the piston position. The method further includes determining parameters for wireless signals based on the door position. The method further includes facilitating utilization of the parameters for the wireless signals to promote successful communication of status and/or control of the door via the wireless signals.

Abstract: A method for execution by one or more computing devices of a massive data ingestion system includes receiving data for storage in the massive data ingestion system. The method further includes storing a data segment of the data in a cache memory of the massive data ingestion system. The method further includes retrieving, based on one or more retrieval parameters, the data segment from the cache memory. The method further includes error encoding, in accordance with error encoding parameters, the data segment to produce a set of encoded data slices, wherein the error encoding parameters include a pillar width number and a decode threshold number, and wherein the decode threshold number is a minimum number of encoded data slices needed to reconstruct the data segment. The method further includes storing the set of encoded data slices in a set of storage units of the massive data ingestion system.

Abstract: A head unit system for controlling motion of an object includes a shear thickening fluid (STF) and a chamber configured to contain a portion of the STF. The chamber further includes a front channel and a back channel. The head unit system further includes a piston housed at least partially radially within the piston compartment and separating the back channel and the front channel. The piston includes a first piston bypass and a second piston bypasses to control flow of the STF between opposite sides of the piston. The chamber further includes a set of fluid manipulation emitters to control the flow of the STF to cause selection of one of a variety of shear rates for the STF within the chamber.

Abstract: A method for execution by a storage network begins by receiving data for storage by the storage network and continues by determining data preparation tasks for the data. The method continues by indexing the data in accordance with the data preparation tasks to generate a data index and processing the data in accordance with the data index to produce indexed data. The method then continues by determining distribution criteria for the data based on the data index and distributing the data and the data index to a set of distributed storage units in accordance with the distribution criteria, Finally, the method establishes criteria for analyzing found data of the data in the storage network.

Abstract: A method for execution by a storage network begins by receiving a data object for storage, segmenting the data according to a data segmenting protocol to generate a set of data segments and executing a deterministic function on the set of data segments to generate scoring information for respective data segments of the set of data segments. The method continues by comparing the scoring information for a respective data segment to scoring information for previously stored data segments in the storage network and based on the comparison, facilitating storage of a first portion of the set of data segments and not storing a second portion of the set of data segments.

Abstract: A processing system is operable to encode data to produce a first set of data slices based on a value of a width parameter. The data is stored based on maintaining storage of the first set of data slices across a set of storage units of a storage pool. Storage of the first set of data slices is maintained in the set of storage units of the storage pool after addition of an additional set of storage units added to the storage pool. The value of the width parameter is increased to an increased value to produce an updated width parameter. The data is re-encoded in accordance with the updated width parameter to produce a second set of data slices. The data is re-stored based on maintaining storage of the second set of data slices across the expanded set of storage units of the storage pool.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for storing data and metadata in a storage network. In a method, one or more processing modules of a storage network establishes a vault as a virtual memory block that maps to memory of the storage network. The method further includes receiving data for storage in the vault, selecting a first vault parameter set regarding distributed storage of the data, and encoding at least a portion of the data in accordance with the first vault parameter set to produce a set of encoded data slices. The method further includes obtaining metadata regarding the set of encoded data slices, selecting a second vault parameter set regarding distributed storage of the metadata, and encoding the metadata in accordance with the second vault parameter set to produce metadata encoded slices. The method further includes facilitating storage of the set of encoded slices and the metadata encoded slices in the vault.

Abstract: A method for execution by one or more computing devices of a storage network includes determining an encoded data slice of a set of encoded data slices needs rebuilding during an encoded data slice reduction operation. The method further includes determining whether a current number of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices that are not in need of rebuilding is less than a reduced rebuild threshold number associated with the encoded data slice reduction operation. When the current number is less than reduced rebuild threshold number, the method further includes rebuilding the encoded data slice.

Abstract: A processing system of a storage network operates by: selecting a queue memory type of a plurality of memory types to store a data object, based on a size parameter associated with the data object; storing the data object in a queue memory device having the queue memory type, when the queue memory type is selected; selecting a main memory type of a plurality of memory types to store the data object, when the queue memory type is not selected; and storing the data object in a main memory device having the main memory type, when the queue memory type is not selected; wherein the data object is dispersed error encoded and stored as a plurality of encoded data slices.

Abstract: A power shunt for shunting rotary power from a load device includes a shear thickening fluid (STF) and a chamber that contains the STF. The power shunt further includes a drive shaft housed radially within a drive side section of the chamber and protruding outward from an end of the chamber for coupling to a lock configured to prevent rotation of the drive shaft. The power shunt further includes a load shaft housed radially within a load side section of the chamber and protruding outward from another end of the chamber for coupling to the load device. The power shunt further includes a drive turbine housed radially within the drive side section and coupled to the drive shaft. The power shunt further includes a load turbine housed radially within the load side section at a fixed operational distance from the drive turbine and coupled to the load shaft.

Abstract: A storage network operates by: encoding, via a dispersed error encoding, at least one data object as a write threshold number of encoded data slices; storing the write threshold number of the encoded data slices in a set of storage units of the storage network; determining when, due to a failure, less than a pillar width number of the encoded data slices are retrievable from the set of storage units: retrieving a decode threshold number of the encoded data slices from others of the set of storage units; decoding the decode threshold number of the encoded data slices to reproduce the at least one data object; restoring availability of the pillar width number of the encoded data slices of the common revision by: rebuilding at least a subset of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices, based on an encoding of the at least one data object; and storing the at least a subset of encoded data slices in the storage network.

Abstract: A method includes error encoding data to produce a plurality of data slices. Metadata is determined for a data slice of the plurality of data slices. The metadata is stored in a metadata storage tree. The data slice is stored in a slice storage location indicated by the metadata. Based on determining to access the data slice, the metadata for the data slice is accessed in the metadata storage tree to determine the slice storage location for the data slice, and the data slice is accessed in the slice storage location based on determining the slice storage location for the data slice via accessing the metadata storage tree.

Abstract: A processing system operates by: detecting an access anomaly associated with an access request from a requestor for a set of encoded data slices, the access anomaly having an unfavorable access pattern, wherein the set of encoded data slices is dispersed storage error encoded and stored in at least one storage unit of the storage network; denying the access request in response to detecting the access anomaly; generating, based on the unfavorable access pattern, an anomaly detection indicator identifying the requestor; and sending the anomaly detection indicator to other devices of the storage network.

Abstract: A processing system of a storage network operates by receiving a write request associated with a data object; identifying dispersed storage error encoding parameters; and determining a number of available storage units. When the number of available storage units is determined to exceed a first number, the processing system operates by: determining a first write threshold number in accordance with the dispersed storage error encoding parameters; dispersed error encoding the data object to produce a first write threshold number of encoded data slices; and writing, to available storage units, the first write threshold number of encoded data slices.

Abstract: A head unit system for controlling an object includes a head unit device that include shear thickening fluid (STF) and a chamber configured to contain the STF. The chamber further includes a set of gates between a front channel and a back channel. The set of gates includes a bypass opening set. The head unit device further includes a piston housed at least partially radially within the chamber. The set of gates is configured to control flow of the STF between the front channel and the back channel to control rotational movement of the object. An accessory module assists in control of the object.