Abstract: A method of using microbial methods to form mineral based material elements via the precipitation of calcium-carbonate into an element composed primarily of aggregate is provided. Pressure is applied across at least part of the element being produced in order to drive a bulk flow of a liquid containing nutrients at least partly through the element to the bacteria. Structures in the element may be used to enhance transfer of reagents and nutrients to the microbes within the material.

Abstract: Portable, hand-held hydraulic tools having a modular power unit within a handle assembly and a working head assembly mated to the handle assembly. The working head assembly can have a pair of movable jaws or a movable jaw and a fixed jaw. The jaws can be configured to perform different operating operations, such as crimping operations and cutting operations.

Abstract: A technique may include receiving, by a management service a plurality of instance configurations from a client device. The technique may then include receiving, by the management service, information identifying a launch request for a compute instance. The technique may include determining, by the management service, one or more candidate shapes for the compute instance based at least in part on the plurality of instance configurations. The technique may include selecting, by the management service and from the one or more candidate shapes, a launch shape for the compute instance and launching the compute instance using the launch shape. The technique may then include providing, the client device access to the compute instance, launched based on the launch shape.

Abstract: Embodiments of secondary batteries having electrode assemblies are provided. A secondary battery can comprise an electrode assembly having a stacked series of layers, the stacked series of layers having an offset between electrode and counter-electrode layers in a unit cell member of the stacked series. A set of constraints can be provided with a primary constraint system with first and second primary growth constraints separated from each other in a longitudinal direction, and connected by at least one primary connecting member, and a secondary constraint system comprises first and second secondary growth constraints separated in a second direction and connected by members of the stacked series of layers. The primary constraint system may at least partially restrain growth of the electrode assembly in the longitudinal direction, and the secondary constraint system may at least partially restrain growth in the second direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: This disclosure is generally directed to systems and methods related to tool tracking. In an example embodiment, a method may involve detecting, by a tool monitoring device, a failure of a wireless communication system included in a tool that is stored in an enclosure. The tool monitoring device may determine that the failure is attributable to a temperature in the enclosure being outside an operating temperature range of the wireless communication system. A notification of the failure and/or a description of a cause for the failure may be displayed on a display screen of the tool monitoring device and/or transmitted to a tool tracking device. In an example implementation, the tool tracking device is located outside a vehicle, the enclosure is a toolbox placed in the vehicle, and the tool monitoring device, which is configured to monitor an operational status of the wireless communication system, is located in the vehicle.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and techniques for efficient vector-matrix multiply operations across parallel processing unit threads. The techniques include receiving first data of a first thread, the first data comprising a first input vector and a first matrix. The techniques further include receiving second data of a second thread, the second data comprising a second input vector and a second matrix. The techniques further include combining the first input vector and the second input vector into an input matrix and generating a result matrix at least by multiplying the input matrix by the first matrix using a matrix-multiply circuit. The techniques further include separating the result matrix into a first result value and a second result value, the first result value corresponding to the first thread and the second result value corresponding to the second thread.

Abstract: An anti-static fuel additive composition and method for using the composition to reduce or prevent buildup of electrostatic charge is described. The anti-static fuel additive composition comprises a polysulfone and a copolymer derived from reaction of an alkanolamine and a hydrocarbyl-substituted 4-membered to 7-memebered ring anhydride; for example, a hydrocarbyl-substituted succinic anhydride, a hydrocarbyl-substituted maleic anhydride, a hydrocarbyl-substituted phthalic anhydride, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: An introducer sheath assembly for percutaneously delivering a medical device that maintains hemostasis in a patient. The assembly has a hub, a hub cap and a hemostasis valve. The introducer sheath assembly has a longitudinal axis and a lumen formed therein. The hemostasis valve has a frame portion and a valve portion, the valve portion having a plurality of slits that are offset through the thickness of the valve portion therein and an extension of the frame portion formed from an incompressible material. The extension of the frame portion is received by a valve seat feature in the hub, when the valve is received by the hub. The valve seat feature also receives a seating portion of the hub cap as the hub and hub cap are advanced into engagement, the seating portion of the hub cap advanced into the valve seat feature subjecting the incompressible extension of the frame portion to a compressive force.

Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for producing fermentation products from starch-containing material, wherein a thermostable alpha-amylase and optionally a thermostable protease are present and/or added during liquefaction. The invention also relates to a composition suitable for use in a process of the invention.

Abstract: A geopolymer formulation is suitable for making a functional geopolymer when combined with an aggregate and water. The geopolymer formulation includes a precursor including an oxide and an activator. The geopolymer formulation is a dry solid powder with a particle size in the range of 45 to 60 microns.

Abstract: In computer graphics, texture refers to a type of surface, including the material characteristics, that can be applied to an object in an image. A texture may be defined using numerous parameters, such as color(s), roughness, glossiness, etc. In some implementations, a texture may be represented as an image that can be placed on a three-dimensional (3D) model of an object to give surface details to the 3D object. To reduce a size of textures (e.g. for storage and transmission), textures in a texture set may be compressed together. The present disclosure provides for transcoding a compressed texture set to textures with a hardware-supported compression format.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to simultaneous channel sounding on multiple MLO channels followed by determining phase and amplitude corrections based on channel impulse responses obtained on each MLO channel. The corrections are then used in subsequent extrapolation of channel sounding on one channel to another. In one aspect, a method includes transmitting, on each radio interface of a first multi-link device, a corresponding sounding probe to a second multi-link device; determining, by each radio interface of the first multi-link device, a corresponding channel impulse response based on the corresponding sound probe to yield a plurality of channel impulse responses; determining an offset between the plurality of channel impulse responses; and using the offset during a subsequent extrapolation of a sounding probe on one radio interface to a second radio interface of the first multi-link device.

Abstract: In computer graphics, texture refers to a type of surface, including the material characteristics, that can be applied to an object in an image. A texture may be defined using numerous parameters, such as color(s), roughness, glossiness, etc. In some implementations, a texture may be represented as an image that can be placed on a three-dimensional (3D) model of an object to give surface details to the 3D object. To reduce a size of textures (e.g. for storage and transmission), textures in a texture set may be compressed together. The present disclosure provides for decompression of at least a portion of a single texture representation of a set of textures into at least a portion of a plurality of textures included in the set of textures.

Abstract: A pallet includes a deck and a plurality of columns supporting the deck. A cover is removably secured over an opening in the deck or in one of the plurality of columns. The opening leads to a recess for receiving an electronic device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting multiple physical features is described herein. The method may include receiving a sensor signal from a single optical sensor proximate to a measurement region, determining a plurality of sensor responses from the sensor signal, and generating a plurality of measurement signals from the plurality of sensor responses. Each of the measurement signals may correspond to a different respective physical signal of the measurement region.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method of confirming identity of an entity is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a plurality of items for delivery to an address, obtaining, from the items, information regarding an entity associated with the items and the address, and delivering the items to the address. The method may also comprise identifying an expected identity of the entity, receiving a request to confirm an identity of the entity using third-party identity verification via a user interface, and determining, based on the information regarding the entity, a confidence score for the expected identity. The method may further comprise determining whether the confidence score is greater than or equal to the threshold value and generating a response to the request. The method may additionally comprises displaying the response via the user interface.

Abstract: A method of forming an erosion shield for a turbine blade includes depositing a layer of filler material defining an upper surface. The method also includes depositing a layer of erosion-resistant material across the upper surface of the layer of filler material. An interface is defined between the layer of filler material and the layer of erosion-resistant material and has a shape of the upper surface. The method also includes machining the layer of filler material to produce the erosion shield. The erosion shield has the layer of erosion-resistant material, the machined layer of filler material, and the interface defined therebetween. An inner surface of the erosion shield is defined by the machined layer of filler material that is sized and shaped for attaching to a leading edge of the turbine blade. Each of the interface and the inner surface extend a length of the erosion shield.

Abstract: Access Point ranging and placement on a floorplan may be provided. A host AP may range each neighbor AP of the host AP. One or more neighbor APs that failed ranging with the host AP may be categorized in a failed neighbor AP list. The host AP may re-range each of the one or more neighbor APs in the failed neighbor AP list with a modified ranging parameter. At least one neighbor AP of the one or more neighbor APs may be categorized in the failed neighbor AP list that succeeded in re-ranging with the host AP in an extended range neighbor AP list.

Abstract: A technique may include receiving, by a management service a plurality of instance configurations from a client device. The technique may then include receiving, by the management service, information identifying a launch request for a compute instance. The technique may include determining, by the management service, one or more candidate shapes for the compute instance based at least in part on the plurality of instance configurations. The technique may include selecting, by the management service and from the one or more candidate shapes, a launch shape for the compute instance and launching the compute instance using the launch shape. The technique may then include providing, the client device access to the compute instance, launched based on the launch shape.

Abstract: This disclosure includes subsea pumping apparatuses and related methods. Some apparatuses include one or more subsea pumps, each having an inlet and an outlet, and one or more motors, each configured to actuate at least one pump to communicate a hydraulic fluid from the inlet to the outlet, where the subsea pumping apparatus is configured to be in fluid communication with a hydraulically actuated device of a blowout preventer. Some subsea pumping apparatuses include one or more of: a desalination system configured to produce at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid; one or more valves, each configured to selectively route hydraulic fluid from an outlet of a pump to, for example, a subsea environment, a reservoir, and/or the inlet of the pump; and a reservoir configured to store at least a portion of the hydraulic fluid. Some apparatuses are configured to be directly coupled to the hydraulically actuated device.