Abstract: Surgical systems and methods for use with a hand-guided tool. The surgical system includes a robotic manipulator that holds a tool guide. The tool guide receives and guides the surgical tool to enable the tool to manipulate a bone. The robotic manipulator autonomously aligns the tool guide to a target orientation relative to the bone. The tool guide is moved to an initial location adjacent to the bone while remaining aligned with the target orientation. The initial location is suitable for the tool to perform an initial manipulation of the bone. The robotic manipulator facilitates withdrawal of the tool guide away from the initial location to a spaced location after the initial manipulation of the bone while maintaining alignment of the tool guide with the target orientation at the spaced guide location. The spaced guide location is suitable for the tool to perform a further manipulation of the bone.

Abstract: A perforating gun is disclosed with shaped charges at a preferential orientation. An example includes a gun body and a charge carrier disposed within the gun body. The charge carrier defines a longitudinal carrier axis and has a plurality of axially-spaced charge mounting locations. A plurality of charges are each pivotally mounted to the charge carrier at one of the respective charge mounting locations about a charge pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal carrier axis. The charges may preferentially align in response to gravity so their orientation remains constant throughout a range of inclination of the wellbore.

Abstract: A robotic surgery system includes a robotic manipulator and a cutting guide to be coupled to the robotic manipulator. The cutting guide is configured to guide a cutting tool so that the cutting tool cuts tissue of the patient. A control system is coupled to the robotic manipulator to control a location of the cutting guide and/or the cutting tool relative to the tissue.

Abstract: A container filling valve may include a shuttle and a drive sleeve that are magnetically coupled. Movement of the drive sleeve may move the shuttle from a position in which the filling valve is closed to a position in which the filling valve is open. A container handling arm may include a distal end configured to hold a container and a proximal end that includes a load cell. A low flow setpoint system may be configured to arrest closing of a filling valve when that filling valve is partially closed. A pressure control system may be configured to maintain a desired pressure in a reservoir or in a flow path from that reservoir. A product recirculation system may be configured to adjust flow rate in the product recirculation system.

Abstract: A node in a blockchain network may generate a configuration override for the blockchain network, approve the configuration override by the blockchain network, transmit the approval for the configuration override to peers in the blockchain network, and submit the configuration override to the blockchain network for validation. The validation will be based on the configuration override matching the approval.

Abstract: An operator for a global total order broadcast domain executing a method to send an operation out of band to nodes of participating parties in a partition, receive a certificate and a signature on the operation for each of the participating parties, generate a single party packet based on the received signatures, generate a random symmetric encryption key, send the random symmetric encryption key to the participating parties, encrypt the single party packet with the random symmetric encryption key, generate a pseudo random string for the partition, and record an operation identifier, the encrypted party packet, and the pseudo random string on the global total order broadcast domain.

Abstract: An operator for a global total order broadcast domain may send an operation out of band to nodes of participating parties, receive a certificate and a signature on an operation identifier for each participating node, generate a randomness vectors for each party participating in the operation, generate a random symmetric encryption key, encrypt the certificates, the signatures, and the randomness vector for each participating party with the symmetric encryption key, encrypt the symmetric encryption key under each public key for each participating party, and hash the symmetric encryption key, and recording, by the operator, the hashed symmetric encryption key on the global total order broadcast domain.

Abstract: A safety mechanism and method for downhole perforating are disclosed. In one example, a mechanical firing head includes a firing pin carried on a pin carrier within a housing. The firing pin is movable from a retracted position to a firing position for striking an explosive initiator. A retention member retains the firing pin in the retracted position with the safety member in the armed position. A safety member is biased to a safety position that additionally blocks movement of the firing pin. The safety member is moveable to an armed position that unblocks movement of the firing pin in response to an arming pressure supplied to the housing bore. The retention member releases the firing pin in response to a firing pressure supplied to the housing in excess of the firing pressure.

Abstract: A surgical saw assembly that is adapted for cutting an anatomy. The surgical saw assembly includes a blade guard that supports a saw blade prevent deflection or skiving of the saw blade. The blade guard is rotatably moveable and has a front edge profile that interacts with a surface of the anatomy. The front edge profile has a geometry that is at least partially curved and/or follows a non-linear path of movement to provide a smooth interaction between the blade guard and the surface of the anatomy during rotational cuts that are not directly normal to the anatomical surface.

Abstract: A safety mechanism and method for downhole perforating are disclosed. In one example, a mechanical firing head includes a firing pin carried on a pin carrier within a housing. The firing pin is movable from a retracted position to a firing position for striking an explosive initiator. A retention member retains the firing pin in the retracted position with the safety member in the armed position. A safety member is biased to a safety position that additionally blocks movement of the firing pin. The safety member is moveable to an armed position that unblocks movement of the firing pin in response to an arming pressure supplied to the housing bore. The retention member releases the firing pin in response to a firing pressure supplied to the housing in excess of the firing pressure.

Abstract: A method and systems for perforating a formation surrounding a borehole that include placing a perforating gun assembly into the borehole, the perforating gun assembly including a gun body comprising a connector and a shaped charge within the gun body. The shaped charges are detonated, thereby producing a shock wave in the gun body. The shock wave propagating through the gun body is attenuated using a shock attenuation feature in the gun body to decrease a stress from the shock wave communicated to the connector.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure may involve a method of generating resection plane data for use in planning an arthroplasty procedure on a patient bone. The method may include: obtaining patient data associated with at least a portion of the patient bone, the patient data captured using a medical imaging machine; generating a three-dimensional patient bone model from the patient data, the patient bone model including a polygonal surface mesh; identifying a location of a posterior point on the polygonal surface mesh; creating a three-dimensional shape centered at or near the location; identifying a most posterior vertex of all vertices of the polygonal surface mesh that may be enclosed by the three-dimensional shape; using the most posterior vertex as a factor for determining a posterior resection depth; and generating resection data using the posterior resection depth, the resection data configured to be utilized by a navigation system during the arthroplasty procedure.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for establishing consensus in a blockchain network, a total ordering service for a blockchain network, and a computer program product. One embodiment may comprise providing a first total ordering service (TOS) gateway for an organization in a blockchain network, generating a symmetric key at the first TOS gateway, splitting the symmetric key to generate a plurality of key shares, and distributing at least one of the plurality of key shares to a second TOS gateway in the blockchain network. The TOS gateway in some embodiments may have read/write access to a shared message queue that makes messages available to each other TOS gateway in the blockchain network. Some embodiments may further comprise recovering the symmetric key by requesting one of the key shares from the second gateway in the blockchain network, and reconstructing the symmetric key using the one of the key shares.

Abstract: A node in a blockchain network may generate a configuration override for the blockchain network, approve the configuration override by the blockchain network, transmit the approval for the configuration override to peers in the blockchain network, and submit the configuration override to the blockchain network for validation. The validation will be based on the configuration override matching the approval.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a balancer algorithm to perform joint balancing calculations to identify target solutions based on surgeon preference. The balancer algorithm can generate a suggested final implant plan from a predetermined range. The balancer algorithm can be used in a knee arthroplasty procedure to generate bone resection depths, bone gaps, implant angulations, required soft tissue release, etc. Input to the balancer algorithm can include preoperative data, intraoperative data, and surgeon preference data.

Abstract: Systems, methods and software are provided for aiding in positioning of objects in a surgical environment. A tracker is rigidly affixed to a surgical object. A camera has a field of view and senses positions of the tracker in the field of view. Controller(s) provide a zone positioned within the field of view at a location that is static relative to the field of view such that the zone is located independent of the sensed positions of the tracker. The zone defines a range of acceptable positions for the tracker relative to a position of the camera. Controller(s) acquire positions of the tracker as the surgical object is moved throughout a range of motion and enable evaluation of the positions of the tracker throughout the range of motion relative to the zone to aid in positioning of one or more of: the camera, the tracker, or the surgical object.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure may involve a method of generating resection plane data for use in planning an arthroplasty procedure on a patient bone. The method may include: obtaining patient data associated with at least a portion of the patient bone, the patient data captured using a medical imaging machine; generating a three-dimensional patient bone model from the patient data, the patient bone model including a polygonal surface mesh; identifying a location of a posterior point on the polygonal surface mesh; creating a three-dimensional shape centered at or near the location; identifying a most posterior vertex of all vertices of the polygonal surface mesh that may be enclosed by the three-dimensional shape; using the most posterior vertex as a factor for determining a posterior resection depth; and generating resection data using the posterior resection depth, the resection data configured to be utilized by a navigation system during the arthroplasty procedure.

Abstract: An example operation includes one or more of receiving event data from an entity, determining the event data satisfies an endorsement policy, setting an identifier that corresponds to a context of the event data, generating an event which includes the event data and the identifier, and submitting the event for recording in a decentralized database, wherein the identifier is used to validate that a state corresponding to the context in the event data is correct.

Abstract: Provided is a pressure cycle actuation assembly. The pressure cycle actuation assembly, in one aspect, includes a housing, a reciprocating piston located within the housing and defining first and second fluid chambers, and a check valve positioned between the first and second fluid chambers, the check valve permitting fluid flow from the first fluid chamber to the second fluid chamber but preventing fluid flow from the second fluid chamber to the first fluid chamber. The A pressure cycle actuation assembly, according to this aspect, further includes a flow restrictor positioned between the first and second fluid chambers, the flow restrictor restricting fluid flow between the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber, and a rotating collet coupled to the reciprocating piston, the rotating collet translating reciprocal axial motion of the reciprocating piston into one-direction rotation and axial lengthening or shortening of the rotating collet relative to the reciprocating piston.

Abstract: Systems, methods and software are provided for aiding in positioning of a camera relative to objects in a surgical environment. The camera has a 3D field of view and senses positions of the objects in the field of view. A controller is coupled to the camera and defines a first zone and a second zone within the field of view. Each zone defines a range of acceptable positions for one of the objects relative to a position of the camera. The controller receives the position of the objects. A graphical user interface displays image representations of: the field of view, the first zone relative to the field of view, the second zone relative to the field of view, the position of one object relative to the first zone, and the position of another object relative to the second zone.