Abstract: A device for the detection of gamma rays presents a high resolution in the three-dimensional position of the impact of the gamma ray within one or more scintillation crystal blocks coupled to an array of photosensors, for the determination of the impact energy of said gamma ray, the determination of the instant in time when said impact occurred, the interaction depth and the determination of the time-of-flight. Advantageously, in said device, the scintillation crystal detection blocks are optically isolated, in such a way that the scintillation light can only exit said blocks via the output region; and the scintillation crystal detection blocks and the array of photosensors are disposed in direct optical coupling.

Abstract: Described is a novel process for fractionating biomass pyrolysis oil quantitatively into energy dense hydrophobic aromatic fraction and water-soluble organics in an economical and energy efficient manner. Using the concepts of solvents and anti-solvent behaviors to separate the pyrolysis oil, which is an emulsion, a method utilizing minimal quantities of solvents and water is proposed, by comparison with the existing methods to isolate the hydrophobic aromatic fraction, there is a volume reduction of greater than 50:1. Additionally, there is a significant time saving over the 24 hours for the accepted method as a solvent, and the anti-solvent system is spontaneous.

Abstract: During text-to-speech processing, a speech model creates synthesized speech that corresponds to input data. The speech model may include an encoder for encoding the input data into a context vector and a decoder for decoding the context vector into spectrogram data. The speech model may further include a voice decoder that receives vocal characteristic data representing a desired vocal characteristic of synthesized speech. The voice decoder may process the vocal characteristic data to determine configuration data, such as weights, for use by the speech decoder.

Abstract: A wound therapy system includes a dressing sealable over a wound and defining a wound space between the dressing and the wound, tubing fluidly communicable with the wound space, and a canister fluidly communicable with the tubing. The canister, the tubing, and the dressing define a sealed space that includes the wound space. The wound therapy system also includes a therapy unit coupled to the canister. The therapy unit includes a sensor configured to measure a pressure in the sealed space, a valve positioned between the sealed space and a surrounding environment and controllable between an open position and a closed position, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to control the valve to alternate between the open position and the closed position to allow airflow through the valve, receive measurements from the sensor, and determine a volume of the wound space based on the measurements.

Abstract: In a laser cataract procedure that also corrects for astigmatism, an iris registration method compares an iris image of a patient's eye taken when the eye is not docked to a patient interface device with an iris image of the same eye that is docked to the patient interface, to calculate a rotation angle between the two images. The astigmatism axis of the eye is measured when the eye is not docked, and the measured axis is rotated by the calculated rotation angle to obtain a rotated astigmatism axis relative to the iris image of the docked eye. The laser cataract procedure is performed based on the rotated astigmatism axis. The rotation angle is calculated by optimizing a transformation that transforms the undocked iris image to match the docked iris image, where the transformation includes a dilation factor that accounts for different pupil dilation of the two iris images.

Abstract: Various electric scooter docking stations are described herein. In some embodiments, the docking stations facilitate the collection, movement, and/or storage of electric scooters in a compact, elegant, and efficient configuration. For example, the docking stations can be configured to take advantage of the unique shape of a scooter, providing the storage and positioning of many scooters in a compact area. Also, the docking stations can be simple structures that facilitate the self-powered movement of electric scooters within a station.

Abstract: A fiducial is generated on an internal anatomical structure of the eye of a patient with a surgical laser. A toric artificial intraocular lens (IOL) is positioned so that a marker of the toric IOL is in a predetermined positional relationship relative to the fiducial. This positioning aligns the toric IOL with the astigmatic or other axis of the eye. The toric IOL is then implanted in the eye of the patient with high accuracy.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are configures to measure an eye without contacting the eye with a patient interface, and these measurements are used to determine alignment and placement of the incisions when the patient interface contacts the eye. The pre-contact locations of one or more structures of the eye can be used to determine corresponding post-contact locations of the one or more optical structures of the eye when the patient interface has contacted the eye, such that the laser incisions are placed at locations that promote normal vision of the eye. The incisions are positioned in relation to the pre-contact optical structures of the eye, such as an astigmatic treatment axis, nodal points of the eye, and visual axis of the eye.

Abstract: A wound therapy system includes a dressing sealable over a wound and defining a wound space between the dressing and the wound, tubing fluidly communicable with the wound space, and a canister fluidly communicable with the tubing. The canister, the tubing, and the dressing define a sealed space that includes the wound space. The wound therapy system also includes a therapy unit coupled to the canister. The therapy unit includes a sensor configured to measure a pressure in the sealed space, a valve positioned between the sealed space and a surrounding environment and controllable between an open position and a closed position, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to control the valve to alternate between the open position and the closed position to allow airflow through the valve, receive measurements from the sensor, and determine a volume of the wound space based on the measurements.

Abstract: Described is a novel process for fractionating biomass pyrolysis oil quantitatively into energy dense hydrophobic aromatic fraction and water-soluble organics in an economical and energy efficient manner. Using the concepts of solvents and anti-solvent behaviours to separate the pyrolysis oil, which is an emulsion, a method utilising minimal quantities of solvents and water is proposed, By comparison with the existing methods to isolate the hydrophobic aromatic fraction, there is a volume reduction of greater than 50:1. Additionally, there is a significant time saving over the 24 hours for the accepted method as a solvent, and the anti-solvent system is spontaneous.

Abstract: A fiducial is generated on an internal anatomical structure of the eye of a patient with a surgical laser. A toric artificial intraocular lens (IOL) is positioned so that a marker of the toric IOL is in a predetermined positional relationship relative to the fiducial. This positioning aligns the toric IOL with the astigmatic or other axis of the eye. The toric IOL is then implanted in the eye of the patient with high accuracy.

Abstract: A method of improving effluent brine quality, the method (i) providing a mud wash solvent comprising a hydrocarbon having a specific gravity less than that of a desalter brine to be treated; and (ii) adding the mud wash solvent to a mud wash stream of a desalter system to provide a treated effluent brine.

Abstract: A system and method for managing fleets of network MFPs uses a portable data device such as a networked smartphone to discover and query devices over one or more network subnets. The smartphone sends out a multicast device discovery petition to all network devices and processes responses received asynchronously in parallel. A sequence of smaller multicasts can be used so as not to overwhelm available device resources. Once all devices has responded, all responses are checked sequentially. Devices identified as multifunction peripherals are sent a second petition seeking device state information. Received device state information is stored in a management database.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are configures to measure an eye without contacting the eye with a patient interface, and these measurements are used to determine alignment and placement of the incisions when the patient interface contacts the eye. The pre-contact locations of one or more structures of the eye can be used to determine corresponding post-contact locations of the one or more optical structures of the eye when the patient interface has contacted the eye, such that the laser incisions are placed at locations that promote normal vision of the eye. The incisions are positioned in relation to the pre-contact optical structures of the eye, such as an astigmatic treatment axis, nodal points of the eye, and visual axis of the eye.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the detection of gamma rays with the capacity to determine multiple interactions and the corresponding time sequence thereof. The method utilizes a device having: one or more detection means for detecting the energy load qi deposited on the coordinates (x, y, z) of a detecting element and the time instant ti corresponding to the detection of said deposition; electronic data reading and acquisition means connected to the detection means of the device, said electronic means being configured for capturing, digitizing, and transmitting the detection signals of the device; and at least one processing unit connected to the electronic means, configured with software and/or hardware means for recording and/or processing data generated by the electronic data reading and acquisition means.

Abstract: During text-to-speech processing, a speech model creates synthesized speech that corresponds to input data. The speech model may include an encoder for encoding the input data into a context vector and a decoder for decoding the context vector into spectrogram data. The speech model may further include a voice decoder that receives vocal characteristic data representing a desired vocal characteristic of synthesized speech. The voice decoder may process the vocal characteristic data to determine configuration data, such as weights, for use by the speech decoder.

Abstract: A method of imaging an object includes obtaining an image data set from a raster scan. The image data set has a plurality of data points, each data point having an associated location and intensity; generating a reduced data set by selectively removing one or more data points from the image data set based upon an assigned probability of retaining the one or more data points in the data set, the assigned probability being a function of the intensity of a data point; generating a triangulation graph as a planar subdivision having faces that are triangles, the vertices of which are the data points and the edges of which are adjacent vertices; and segmenting the triangulated data set by finding a path with lowest cost between that vertex and every other vertex, wherein the cost is a function of the respective intensity of the vertices.

Abstract: Various electric scooter docking stations are described herein. In some embodiments, the electric scooter docking stations facilitate collection, movement, and/or storage of the electric scooters in a compact, elegant, and efficient configuration. For example, the electric scooter docking stations can be configured to take advantage of a unique shape of an electric scooter, providing the storage and positioning of many electric scooters in a compact area. Also, the electric scooter docking stations can be simple structures that facilitate self-powered movement of electric scooters within the electric scooter docking stations.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to receiving bodily fluid through a device opening. In one aspect, the device includes a flow activator arranged to cause fluid to be released from a subject. A deployment actuator may actuate the flow activator in a deployment direction, which may in turn cause fluid release from a subject. The flow activator may also be moved in a retraction direction by a retraction actuator. In one aspect, the device may include a vacuum source that may help facilitate fluid flow into the opening of the device and/or may help facilitate fluid flow from the opening to a storage chamber. In one aspect, a device actuator may enable fluid communication between the opening and the vacuum source and the flow activator may be actuated after the enablement of fluid communication.

Abstract: The present application relates to methods for the production of plant material suitable for the extraction and purification of saponins, through plantations of clone plants of defined chemotype, including ultrahigh density plantations of Quillaja saponaria Molina, and methods to increase the recovery of saponins by solid/liquid extraction of the harvested plant material.