Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses are provided that facilitate structured and semi-structured discussion environments for educational and commercial uses. The embodiments may allow students to participate in live, text-based chat groups to discuss any topic. Moreover, the embodiments may include analytical features to allow educators and administrators to track a wide variety of metrics relating to student behaviors, progress and/or discourse.

Abstract: Ultrasound devices, and associated methods of assembly thereof, are disclosed whereby an annular electrode array of an ultrasound transducer is electrically connectedto a flexible printed circuit board in a compact configuration. The flexible circuit board includes an elongate flexible segment and a distal distribution segment, where the distribution segment is attached to a peripheral support ring that surrounds at least a portion of the ultrasound transducer. The distribution segment includes a plurality of spatially distributed contact pads, and electrical connections are provided between the contact pads and the annular electrodes of the annular array.

Abstract: Fresnel elevation focusing at a selected elevation angle is performed by transmitting a sequential set of Fresnel-focused ultrasound pulses, where a different Fresnel phase pattern is used for each pulse, and where the receive signals are coherently compounded. The different Fresnel patterns cause the secondary lobe energy to be reduced via averaging of variations of the pressure fields in the secondary lobe regions. In some embodiments, the method of coherently compounded Fresnel focusing is combined with coherently compounded defocused wave (e.g. plane wave or diverging wave) imaging in the azimuth direction. Each of the elevation slices are collected by changing the Fresnel patterns respectively employed when the sequence of plane waves or diverging waves are transmitted, such that the coherent compounding can benefit both planes simultaneously. Hadamard receive encoding and subsequent dynamic receive beamforming may be employed to further improve performance in the elevation direction.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided that enhance ultrasound efficacy by for example, high efficiency, signal measurement, calibration, and assurance systems with a control system radio-frequency (RE) driver configured to drive one or more focused ultrasound transducers. The RE driver can comprise one or more power amplifiers including one or more III-V semiconductors, (e.g., gallium nitride GaN, GaAs, GaSb, InP, InAs, InSb, InGaAs, AlSb, AlGaAs, and/or AlGaN) field-effect transistors to efficiently provide high power with distinct narrow-band RE signals over a wide frequency range. The RE driver can include a power measurement and/or calibration system to monitor the amplitude and phase of the RE signal output from the power amplifier and estimate the amount of RE power delivered to the ultrasound transducers.

Abstract: Ultrasound devices, and associated methods of assembly thereof, are disclosed whereby an annular electrode array of an ultrasound transducer is electrically connected to a flexible printed circuit board in a compact configuration. The flexible circuit board includes an elongate flexible segment and a distal distribution segment, where the distribution segment is attached to a peripheral support ring that surrounds at least a portion of the ultrasound transducer. The distribution segment includes a plurality of spatially distributed contact pads, and electrical connections are provided between the contact pads and the annular electrodes of the annular array.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for performing OCT vibrography based on the synchronization of components of the OCT vibrography system. An A-scan trigger is employed to synchronize the operation of the scanning subsystem that scans the sample beam and an acoustic stimulus source that generates an acoustic stimulus for vibrographic measurements. The acoustic stimulus source is controlled such that when the scanning subsystem dwells on an imaging line selected for vibrography measurements, the acoustic stimulus is generated over a plurality of A-scans and the phase of the acoustic stimulus is locked to the A-scan trigger, such that the phase of the acoustic stimulus is incrementally modified with each A-scan. The accumulation of the acoustic phase is therefore synchronized to the A-scan trigger. The synchronization, providing synchronized acoustic phase evolution during each acoustic phase waveform cycle, permits the use of the OCT vibrography system for simultaneous anatomical and functional imaging.

Abstract: Systems and methods for efficient database management of non-transitory readable media, including a memory configured to store information associated with service instance requests across a plurality of distributed network resources and a processor configured to receive a service instance request, determine the first native domain object associated with the service instance request, allocate the plurality of network resources to a plurality of distributed worker instances dependent upon a first native domain object, assign the first service instance request to a first worker instance that includes a microservice instance that define service instance blocks to execute the request, and a service instance block manager configured to manage the first service instance request in conjunction with subsequent service instance requests associated with the plurality of worker instances, track running and completed requests, and allocate resources for similar requests across the distributed network nodes.

Abstract: An ultrasound patch includes one or more transmit and receive piezoelectric transducer elements. In some embodiments, the transducer elements are positioned on a ramp on a patient pad of the patch that is configured to fit within an anatomic space between the trachea and the sternocleidomastoid muscle to orient the transducer elements toward a carotid artery. In some embodiments, a flexible phased array transducer includes a number of pillar piezoelectric elements joined by a flexible adhesive with metal electrodes deposited thereon. The phased array transducer is mounted to a flexible circuit board that allows the transducer to bend and conform to a subject's anatomy.

Abstract: An ultrasound patch includes one or more transmit and receive piezoelectric transducer elements. In some embodiments, the transducer elements are positioned on a ramp on a patient pad of the patch that is configured to fit within an anatomic space between the trachea and the sternocleidomastoid muscle to orient the transducer elements toward a carotid artery. In some embodiments, a flexible phased array transducer includes a number of pillar piezoelectric elements joined by a flexible adhesive with metal electrodes deposited thereon. The phased array transducer is mounted to a flexible circuit board that allows the transducer to bend and conform to a subject's anatomy.

Abstract: Encoded transmit signals are provided to an ultrasound array such diverging ultrasound waves are sequentially transmitted. Each diverging ultrasound wave is generated by a respective set of encoded transmit signals, where each set of encoded transmit signals is encoded by a respective row of an N×N invertible orthogonal matrix. Only a selected subset of M rows, with N<M, is employed to encode the transmit signals. Sets of receive signals detected in response to the transmitted diverging ultrasound waves are decoded via a transposed matrix generated based on the invertible orthogonal matrix, with each set of decoded receive signals being associated with insonification via a subset of the ultrasound array elements in the fixed aperture. Synthetic aperture beamforming is performed on the decoded receive signals to generate an ultrasound image.

Abstract: A dewatering device for aggregate product can be used to retro-fit existing aggregate product dewatering facilities in order to more efficiently capture product. The dewatering device can be movable to allow for the portability of the device relative to existing dewatering facilities. The device is adapted to receive a slurry of aggregate product and water and to vibrate to dry the aggregate product. A recycle system is included to receive any fines that may otherwise be lost by the system. The recycle system captures the fines and redirects them back towards the vibrating process of the vibrating device to direct them towards an exit of the vibrating device in order to use said fines as well as the other dewatered aggregate product. The portability of the device allows the device to be used with the existing facilities without the need to completely replace existing components for dewatering aggregate product.

Abstract: A brake actuator has a plurality of actuator housing portions, a parking piston axially displaceable within one of the actuator housing portions, and a service piston axially displaceable independently of the parking piston within another of the actuator housing portions. A brake actuator rod projecting from the other of the actuator housing portions moves outward of that actuator housing portion upon at least one of fluid supply to a first substantially torus-shaped service brake bladder and fluid relief from a second substantially torus-shaped parking brake bladder. The brake actuator rod can be moved inward into the other of the actuator housing portions upon fluid relief from the first substantially torus-shaped service brake bladder, and fluid supply to the second substantially torus-shaped parking brake bladder or both.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for performing imaging with a crossed-electrode ultrasound transducer array, where ultrasound transducer array is configured for focusing in one direction via conventional time-delay phased array beamforming, and for focusing in a second direction via a Fresnel aperture formed via the application of bias voltages. The ultrasound transducer array connections are switched between transmit and receive operations, such that the Fresnel aperture is generated in the first direction upon transmit, and in the second direction upon receive. One or both of the transmit Fresnel aperture and the receive Fresnel aperture are configured as a set of delay-corrected Fresnel sub-apertures, where the delay associated with each Fresnel sub-aperture is selected to compensate for variations in path lengths between the Fresnel sub-apertures and the focal point.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for ultrasound imaging using a modified variable sampling beamforming technique. Unlike conventional methods of variable sampling beamforming, in which in-phase and quadrature samples are obtained for each pixel location, in various example embodiments of the present disclosure, the pixel locations are quadrature-spaced such that for each 5 sample point, an adjacent sample point along an A-line is employed as the quadrature sample. The samples at each array element may be triggered according to the time of flight between a first pixel location and the location of the array element, such that successive samples, corresponding to successive pixel locations along the selected A-line, are obtained such that adjacent samples are spaced by a 10 time interval corresponding to a quarter of an odd number of wavelenghths of the beamformed transmit pulse, and such that only one sample is acquired per pixel.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions and methods directed to carbonation of a cement mix during mixing. The carbonation may be in a stationary mixer or a transportable mixer, such as a drum of a ready-mix truck.

Abstract: A data processing system that, in one embodiment, uses smart reminders to allow a user to decline an incoming phone or messaging call and to cause the system to set a smart reminder about the call. In one embodiment, the system can use the system's current state or context (e.g. the system is in a car or is playing a movie) to determine the type of reminder options to present to the user and to determine when to trigger the reminder based on the reminder option that is selected by the user.

Abstract: A dewatering device for aggregate product can be used to retro-fit existing aggregate product dewatering facilities in order to more efficiently capture product. The dewatering device can be movable to allow for the portability of the device relative to existing dewatering facilities. The device is adapted to receive a slurry of aggregate product and water and to vibrate to dry the aggregate product. A recycle system is included to receive any fines that may otherwise be lost by the system. The recycle system captures the fines and redirects them back towards the vibrating process of the vibrating device to direct them towards an exit of the vibrating device in order to use said fines as well as the other dewatered aggregate product. The portability of the device allows the device to be used with the existing facilities without the need to completely replace existing components for dewatering aggregate product.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for performing OCT vibrography based on the synchronization of components of the OCT vibrography system. An A-scan trigger is employed to synchronize the operation of the scanning subsystem that scans the sample beam and an acoustic stimulus source that generates an acoustic stimulus for vibrographic measurements. The acoustic stimulus source is controlled such that when the scanning subsystem dwells on an imaging line selected for vibrography measurements, the acoustic stimulus is generated over a plurality of A-scans and the phase of the acoustic stimulus is locked to the A-scan trigger, such that the phase of the acoustic stimulus is incrementally modified with each A-scan. The accumulation of the acoustic phase is therefore synchronized to the A-scan trigger. The synchronization, providing synchronized acoustic phase evolution during each acoustic phase waveform cycle, permits the use of the OCT vibrography system for simultaneous anatomical and functional imaging.

Abstract: A data processing system that, in one embodiment, uses smart reminders to allow a user to decline an incoming phone or messaging call and to cause the system to set a smart reminder about the call. In one embodiment, the system can use the system's current state or context (e.g. the system is in a car or is playing a movie) to determine the type of reminder options to present to the user and to determine when to trigger the reminder based on the reminder option that is selected by the user.

Abstract: Systems and devices are provided for generating focused ultrasound pulses based on a transducer assembly having a piezoelectric layer coupled to an acoustic lens. In some example embodiments, the piezoelectric layer is a composite piezoelectric material having an acoustic impedance configured to match the acoustic impedance of the acoustic lens. The acoustic lens may be formed from aluminum, or an alloy thereof, and may have a distal surface having a non-spherical profile for producing a focal region that is smaller than an equivalent spherical lens. The acoustic lens may have an f-number less than unity. In some embodiments, the acoustic lens is coated with a polymer acoustic impedance matching layer that is compatible with deposition via chemical vapor deposition, such as a p-xylylene based polymer. In some embodiments, the acoustic lens is formed from aluminum or an alloy thereof, and the polymer acoustic impedance matching layer is a Parylene layer.