Abstract: The disclosed spray deposition systems and methods use spray charging and discharging techniques to assist with digital deposition of spray droplets on a substrate. For example, the disclosed systems and methods have a charging system that generates spray droplets from a spray generator and charges the droplets. Focusing electrodes help to collimate the droplets into a tight droplet stream and, optionally, steering electrodes help direct the tight droplet stream. A charge removal system neutralizes or removes the charge from the droplets, either during the deposition of the droplets on a substrate or after the droplets have been deposited on a substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming lightweight structures from particle networks includes functionalizing edges of particles of an anisotropic material, exfoliating of the particles to form sheets of the material, aligning the sheets of material to form a network of multi-layered and aligned particles, and forming a structure out of the network of particles. One example uses graphite powder mixed into 4-aminobenzoic acid for edge functionalization, and exfoliation occurs with sonication in a solvent. The resulting particles undergo alignment with an aligning nozzle that also dispenses the aligned particles to form a structure.

Abstract: A personal watercraft auto-return system includes a user device having a rider location determination unit, a user interface, and a communication unit. The system also includes an autopilot unit that is positioned within a personal watercraft. The autopilot unit including a steering unit for controlling the steering the watercraft, and a controller having a processor and memory for controlling the engine and throttle controls of the watercraft. The controller selectively activates the steering unit, engine, and throttle of the personal watercraft to navigate to the location of the user device upon receiving a request from the user interface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for software verification. In some embodiments, an application architecture model is generated for a software application, wherein: the application architecture model is generated based on source code of the software application and a framework model representing a software framework using which the software application is developed; and the application architecture model comprises a plurality of component models. One or more component models may be selected, based on a property to be checked, from the plurality of component models. The one or more component models may be analyzed to determine if the property is satisfied.

Abstract: A warning light system that is provided for a motor vehicle includes a warning light assembly and a heating element carried on a windshield of the motor vehicle, vehicle forward of the warning light assembly. The heating element is dedicated to providing a clear sight path to the warning light and thereby increasing its effectiveness. A related method is also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for software verification. In some embodiments, a first application architecture model is generated for a software application, wherein: the first application architecture model is generated based on a first version of source code of the software application; and the first application architecture model comprises a plurality of component models. A second version of source code may be compared against the first version of source code to determine at least one difference. At least one affected component model of the first application architecture model may be identified based on the at least one difference. A second application architecture model may be generated based on the second version of source code, wherein generating the second application architecture model comprises generating an updated version of the at least one affected component model.

Abstract: Systems and methods for software verification. In some embodiments, an application architecture model is generated for a software application, wherein: the application architecture model is generated based on source code of the software application; and the application architecture model comprises a plurality of component models. A property model type may be selected, based on a property to be checked, from a plurality of property model types. One or more component models may be selected, based on the selected property model type, from the plurality of component models. The one or more selected component models may be used to construct at least one property model of the selected property model type. The at least one property model may be analyzed to determine if the property is satisfied with respect to the at least one property model.

Abstract: A trapped vortex combustor for use in a gas turbine engine includes an outer vortex chamber wall and a dome attached to, or formed integrally with, the outer vortex chamber wall. The dome, the outer vortex chamber wall, or both define at least in part an outer trapped vortex chamber and a channel. The channel extends along the circumferential direction at a forward end of the outer vortex chamber wall, the channel configured to receive an airflow through or around the outer vortex chamber wall, the dome, or both and provide such airflow as a continuous annular airflow to the inner surface of the outer vortex chamber wall. The dome further defines a fuel nozzle opening, with all openings in the dome outward of the fuel nozzle opening along the radial direction, excepting any effusion cooling holes having a diameter less than about 0.035 inches, being in airflow communication with the channel.

Abstract: Systems and methods for software verification. In some embodiments, a first statement is identified, from a discovery query written in a query language, the first statement comprising a side-effect construct with at least a first parameter and a second parameter, wherein: the first parameter of the side-effect construct comprises at least one second statement specifying one or more actions to be performed; and the second parameter of the side-effect construct comprises at least one condition specified based on a syntactic pattern. Source code of a software application may be analyzed to determine whether the at least one condition is satisfied, wherein determining whether the at least one condition is satisfied comprises determining whether the source code comprises a program element that matches the syntactic pattern.

Abstract: A system and method of onboard and offboard visualization of material characteristics in mining is provided. According to one aspect, the method includes a step of providing a voxel representation of a mining area. The voxel representation includes a plurality of voxels. At least one voxel of the plurality of voxels is compared to a geological model of the mining area, and at least one material characteristic is assigned to the at least one voxel based on the geological model of the mining area. In another aspect, the method includes calculating a volume of extracted material, assigning at least one quantified material characteristic to the volume of extracted material based on a geological model, and displaying a visual representation of the volume of extracted material and at least one quantified material characteristic using a visualization tool.

Abstract: A method of creating a three-dimensional object includes generating a spray from a fluid by stretching the fluid between two diverging surfaces into a fluid filament until the fluid filament breaks into a plurality of droplets and forms the spray, entraining the spray in a carrier gas flow, directing the carrier gas flow toward a target surface through a multi-nozzle array, and repeatedly applying the carrier gas flow on a target surface to form the three-dimensional object by controlling the direction of the carrier gas flow toward the target surface.

Abstract: An auxiliary lamp for a vehicle. Ordinary headlamps are restricted by law in the intensity that they direct towards oncoming drivers. This can cause inconveniently low illumination to a side of the vehicle, such as along a line 20 or 25 degrees left of center for a left-hand driver side vehicle. An auxiliary headlamp assembly is added to provide an auxiliary beam that supplements the primary beam. The auxiliary beam increases illumination along this line, yet maintains total illumination toward oncoming drivers below allowed limits.

Abstract: A vehicle is able to be set to operate in a factory mode (as opposed to a normal mode) in which certain features are disabled, such as an alarm system, a power liftgate, etc. This allows assembly workers to assemble, test, and calibrate the vehicle without various systems in the vehicle being undesirably activated. While in the factory mode, the vehicle can accomplish multiple ignition on/off cycles while being tested or driven between stations. A steering column and connected steering wheel are provided in the vehicle, and are situated between an instrument panel and a front seat. In response to the ignition completing an on/off cycle, a controller commands a motor to move the steering wheel and steering column to a predetermined position that is based on a visibility of the instrument panel relative to the steering wheel and steering column.

Abstract: A BOP system for use in a high pressure subsea environment, including a BOP stack including a lower marine riser package and a lower stack portion, the lower stack portion having a plurality of BOP rams attached to a subsea wellhead. The system also includes a riser subsystem extending from a drilling vessel to the BOP stack and providing fluid communication therebetween, a ship board subsystem electronically, mechanically, and hydraulically connected to the BOP stack and the riser subsystem to control the functions of the BOP stack and the riser subsystem, and a safety instrumented system having a surface logic solver and at least one subsea logic solver, the safety instrumented system in communication with at least a portion of the BOP rams to act as a redundant control system in case of failure of the ship board subsystem.

Abstract: A mapping module is configured to create a preview layer that depicts attributes of real-world objects located within the boundaries of a map. The mapping module uses search criteria to highlight multiple attributes without separately creating a filtered data set for each attribute. The mapping module may change the boundaries of the map in response to changed search criteria. The mapping module may also change the displayed attributes in response to changed map boundaries. By highlighting the selected attributes, the mapping module helps to visually identify relationships between complex real-world objects.

Abstract: A feedthrough for feeding signals through a panel having opposite sides includes first and second parts. The first part can include a first body configured to be disposed in a first portion of an opening in a panel, a first lumen disposed within the first body, and a first engagement area comprising a first contact area. The second part can include a second body configured to be disposed in a second portion of the opening in the panel, a second lumen disposed within the second body, and a second engagement area configured to engage the first contact area, wherein engaging the first contact area with the second engagement area causes deformation of the first part, the second part, or both to hold the first part and the second part within the opening such that the first lumen and the second lumen are disposed generally concentrically with each other. Corresponding methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Polymer spray deposition systems and methods are disclosed that can be used with a wide range of thermoplastic materials to produce high resolution objects having the complexity and structural integrity typically only achieved using more traditional manufacturing techniques, like injection molding processes. The polymeric spray deposition systems and methods use a spray generator that stretches the fluid between two diverging surfaces, such as two rollers or between two pistons. The stretched fluid breaks apart into a plurality of droplets and is guided through a delivery system, that can include an optional droplet size selector, and into a multi-nozzle array. The multi-nozzle array is controlled and directs the spray onto a target surface, thereby creating a three-dimensional object. The disclosed polymer spray deposition systems and methods can be used in three-dimensional print heads and printing techniques.

Abstract: Implementations of the present invention relate to apparatuses, systems, and methods for firing a belt-fed closed-bolt firearm by delivering an impulse from an impulse source along a first axis to a firing pin on a second axis. The first axis and second axis are not coaxial, allowing the impulse source to be disposed away from and not in direct contact or alignment with the firing pin.

Abstract: A drone aircraft for personal assistance or protection. When a driver's car is located in a parking lot at night, the driver can summon a drone stored in the vehicle which flies to the driver and leads the driver to the vehicle by projecting a spot of light onto the ground. The drone makes a video recording of events occurring at this time and transmits the recording to a remote storage location.

Abstract: A method for visual inertial odometry (VIO)-aided global positioning is described. The method includes updating an extended Kalman filter (EKF) state including a current pose and a sliding window of multiple prior poses. The sliding window includes poses at a number of most recent global positioning system (GPS) time epochs. Updating the EKF includes updating an EKF covariance matrix for the prior poses and the current pose in the EKF state. The method also includes determining, at a GPS epoch, a relative displacement between each of the updated prior poses and the current pose. The method further includes determining an error covariance of each of the relative displacements based on cross-covariances between each of the updated prior poses and the current pose in the EKF covariance matrix. The method additionally includes using the relative displacements and the error covariances to fuse pseudorange measurements taken over multiple epochs.