Abstract: An online concierge shopping system fulfills orders using workers who pick items at a warehouse to complete an order and workers to deliver the orders to a customer's location. To optimize the staffing of workers for each task, the system uses a trained model to predict the number of workers needed to achieve an optimal outcome based on an input set of contextual information. The system also schedules specific workers to various shifts using the predicted number of workers needed and then searching a feasibility space for an optimal solution. The trained model may be updated based on performance observations.

Abstract: An online concierge system applies a predictive model to predict demand of items, and facilitates preemptive picking of items in advance of receiving orders to enable efficient procurement and delivery. The online concierge system may apply a time-series model and/or machine learning model that predicts demand based on historical data. Depending on the predicted demand, items may be preemptively moved from a storage location to a staging area that enables the items to be more rapidly processed and delivered to customers when orders come in.

Abstract: Conveying systems and methods are provided that selectively controls gas-propelling devices to move objects over the conveyer table at different speeds and in different directions. The systems and methods include a conveyer table having of an array of gas-propelling devices that propel gas from a surface of the table. Each of the of gas-propelling devices can have layers arranged in a stack and a through-hole in the stack and the table. The surfaces of each of the layers are exposed in the interior of the through hole and a heating/cooling device selectively heats and/or cools the layers to generate thrust.

Abstract: A replaceable thrust generating structure for an air vehicle, which includes one or more mounts, which are attachable to the air vehicle, and a thrust generating structure attached to each of the one or more mounts, and wherein the thrust generating structure includes an NMSET element.

Abstract: A replaceable thrust generating structure for an air vehicle, which includes one or more mounts, which are attachable to the air vehicle, and a thrust generating structure attached to each of the one or more mounts, and wherein the thrust generating structure includes an NMSET element.

Abstract: Conveying systems and methods are provided that selectively controls gas-propelling devices to move objects over the conveyer table at different speeds and in different directions. The systems and methods include a conveyer table having of an array of gas-propelling devices that propel gas from a surface of the table. Each of the of gas-propelling devices can have layers arranged in a stack and a through-hole in the stack and the table. The surfaces of each of the layers are exposed in the interior of the through hole and a heating/cooling device selectively heats and/or cools the layers to generate thrust.

Abstract: The invention provides a sensor for detecting nitrogen containing high explosives. The sensor includes a substrate and a blue-photoluminescent metallofluorene copolymer to be carried on said substrate during testing for nitrogen containing high explosives. The copolymer is preferably a blue-photoluminescent metallofluorene copolymer, and preferably is a vinyl bridged silafluorene copolymer. A method for detecting nitrogen containing high explosives involves exposing a copolymer to an analyte, preferably by spraying the copolymer or otherwise coating the substrate after it has been exposed to analyte and then exciting the copolymer to luminesce. The copolymer is observed for fluorescence quenching, which can be through human or electronic observation. The invention also provides for synthesis of a vinyl bridged silafluorene polymer by providing diethynylmetallofluorene and dihydrosilafluorene as precursors and conducting catalytic hydrosilation of the precursors.

Abstract: The invention provides a sensor for detecting nitrogen containing high explosives. The sensor includes a substrate and a blue-photoluminescent metallofluorene copolymer to be carried on said substrate during testing for nitrogen containing high explosives. The copolymer is preferably a blue-photoluminescent metallofluorene copolymer, and preferably is a vinyl bridged silafluorene copolymer. A method for detecting nitrogen containing high explosives involves exposing a copolymer to an analyte, preferably by spraying the copolymer or otherwise coating the substrate after it has been exposed to analyte and then exciting the copolymer to luminesce. The copolymer is observed for fluorescence quenching, which can be through human or electronic observation. The invention also provides for synthesis of a vinyl bridged silafluorene polymer by providing diethynylmetallofluorene and dihydrosilafluorene as precursors and conducting catalytic hydrosilation of the precursors.

Abstract: A method for detecting an analyze that may be present in ambient air, bound to a surface or as part of complex aqueous media that includes providing a metallole-containing polymer or copolymer, exposing the polymer or copolymer to a suspected analyze or a system suspected of including the analyze, and measuring a quenching of photoluminescence of the metallole-containing polymer or copolymer exposed to the system. Also included is a solid state inorganic-organic polymer sensor for detecting nitroaromatic compounds that includes a substrate and a thin film of a metallole-containing polymer or copolymer deposited on said substrate.

Abstract: The invention provides a sensor for detecting nitrogen containing high explosives. The sensor includes a substrate and a blue-photoluminescent metallofluorene copolymer to be carried on said substrate during testing for nitrogen containing high explosives. The copolymer is preferably a blue-photoluminescent metallofluorene copolymer, and preferably is a vinyl bridged silafluorene copolymer. A method for detecting nitrogen containing high explosives involves exposing a copolymer to an analyte, preferably by spraying the copolymer or otherwise coating the substrate after it has been exposed to analyte and then exciting the copolymer to luminesce. The copolymer is observed for fluorescence quenching, which can be through human or electronic observation. The invention also provides for synthesis of a vinyl bridged silafluorene polymer by providing diethynylmetallofluorene and dihydrosilafluorene as precursors and conducting catalytic hydrosilation of the precursors.

Abstract: A method of the invention is a method of detecting nitramines and nitrate esters believed to be present on a sampling substrate. In the method, a sampling substrate is exposed to a first reagent that is formulated to react with nitramine- and nitrate ester-type explosives to release nitrite. The sampling substrate is then exposed to a second reagent that contains an acid to react with the nitrite and a diaminoaromatic present in either the first or second reagent, to form a triazole that will luminesce. Another method of the invention combines this process for nitramine- and nitrate ester-based explosives detection with a technique to detect nitroaromatic-based explosives using luminescent polymers, for a three-step process for the detection of explosives in these three classes.

Abstract: The invention provides a sensor for detecting nitrogen containing high explosives. The sensor includes a substrate and a blue-photoluminescent metallofluorene copolymer to be carried on said substrate during testing for nitrogen containing high explosives. The copolymer is preferably a blue-photoluminescent metallofluorene copolymer, and preferably is a vinyl bridged silafluorene copolymer. A method for detecting nitrogen containing high explosives involves exposing a copolymer to an analyte, preferably by spraying the copolymer or otherwise coating the substrate after it has been exposed to analyte and then exciting the copolymer to luminesce. The copolymer is observed for fluorescence quenching, which can be through human or electronic observation. The invention also provides for synthesis of a vinyl bridged silafluorene polymer by providing diethynylmetallofluorene and dihydrosilafluorene as precursors and conducting catalytic hydrosilation of the precursors.

Abstract: A method for detecting an analyze that may be present in ambient air, bound to a surface or as part of complex aqueous media that includes providing a metallole-containing polymer or copolymer, exposing the polymer or copolymer to a suspected analyze or a system suspected of including the analyze, and measuring a quenching of photoluminescence of the metallole-containing polymer or copolymer exposed to the system. Also included is a solid state inorganic-organic polymer sensor for detecting nitroaromatic compounds that includes a substrate and a thin film of a metallole-containing polymer or copolymer deposited on said substrate.

Abstract: A system and method for adding, accessing and/or using software modules within the context of an active computer game are provided. The system and method include overlaying graphics/video on top of the game.