Abstract: The technology relates to autonomous vehicles that use a perception system to detect objects and features in the vehicle's surroundings. A camera assembly having a ring-type structure is provided that gives the perception system an overall 360° field of view around the vehicle. Image sensors are arranged in camera modules around the assembly to provide a seamless panoramic field of view. One subsystem has multiple pairs of image sensors positioned to provide the overall 360° field of view, while another subsystem provides a set of image sensors generally facing toward the front of the vehicle to provide enhanced object identification. The camera assembly may be arranged in a housing located on top of the vehicle. The housing may include other sensors such as LIDAR and radar. The assembly includes a chassis and top and base plates, which may provide EMI protection from other sensors disposed in the housing.

Abstract: This technology relates to a system for clearing sensors. The system may include an air knife configured to clear a sensor housing of debris. The air knife may be attached to a bearing comprising a bearing ring. The system may also include a motor, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the bearing ring around the sensor housing.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to detecting and clearing debris from a sensor window. For instance, a system may include the sensor window and one or more processors. The sensor window may include a transparent thin film conductor. The one or more processors may be configured to identify a change in capacitance using the transparent thin film conductor, detect debris on the sensor window using the change in capacitance, and activate a cleaning system in order to clear the detected debris from the sensor window.

Abstract: A moving decoy that better captures the natural movements of a goose or similar game bird in critical aspects, most notably, the characteristic, highly flexible goose neck and the wagging of the tail is provided. The invention provides an improved set of neck vertebrae for use in this application and may operate as integrated into the rest of the decoy or as a modular neck modular neck may be attached to a variety of different decoys. Actuation of the neck may be provided by self-contained electrical motor and power unit in the latter case. In an alternative embodiment remote access of the neck may be provided by cables run between the decoy and a remote location.

Abstract: Conversation flow is adapted based on user interactions in a cognitive interaction between a user and a machine carried out at a gateway to a cognitive interaction service. A series of cognitive interactions are received during a conversation flow. A determination is made that a pattern of user cognitive interactions meets a defined pattern and that a plurality of machine responses meets a defined threshold of a maximum repetition of responses to the defined pattern. An indication is provided to the cognitive interaction service to adapt a type of subsequent response according to a defined action for the defined pattern.

Abstract: Described is a bone plating system and related methods. The system comprises a bone plate and a drill block to be removably attached to the bone plate. The system further comprises a first locking element and a second locking element. The first locking element is configured to be removably attached to the drill block and the bone plate by extending through one drill block hole of the drill block and into one aligned bone screw receiving hole of the bone plate. The second locking element to configured to extend from the drill block and into an opening in the bone plate in order to constrain rotational movement of the bone plate and the drill block with respect to each other when the first locking element is attached to the drill block and the bone plate.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to deployable structures, such as airbag systems, for vehicles. A system is disclosed for reducing likelihood of injury to a passenger in a collision. The system may include a seat configured to accommodate the passenger and an airbag system. At least a portion of the airbag system may be incorporated into a vehicle prior to deployment of the airbag system. The airbag system may include an airbag and a locking feature. The locking feature may be configured to lock the airbag with a locking portion of a vehicle when the airbag system has been deployed. The locking feature may be attached to the airbag. Aside from airbags, other confining structures, such as nets, shades, curtains, etc., may also be used as deployable structures.

Abstract: Disclosed are various approaches for validating factory provisioning of computing devices with a virtual machine. A package file is unpacked, the package file containing: at least one application to be installed on the virtual machine, and a configuration file containing at least one setting for an operating system installed on the virtual machine or the at least one application and at least one respective value for the at least one setting. Then at least one application is installed on the virtual machine. Installation of the application is confirmed. Then the operating system is configured based on the configuration file, and the configuration of the operating system is confirmed. The results are then rendered in a user interface to indicate whether installation of the applications and configuration of the operating system was successful.

Abstract: The technology relates to vehicle panels. The vehicle panel may comprise a top layer and a bottom layer. The top and bottom layers may be bonded together. The bond of the top and bottom layer may be a weld. One or more energy absorbing layers may be positioned between the top layer and the bottom layer. The one or more energy absorbing layers may be comprised of one or more energy absorbing materials. The energy absorbing layers may be aluminum honeycomb and polyurethane foam.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to adjusting a shear pin to minimize an impact force felt by an object in a collision with a vehicle. For example, one or more second computing devices may receive, from one or more first computing devices, information indicating that an impact with an object is imminent. In response to the received information, the second computing devices may determine a first shear force for a first shear pin, wherein the first shear force is a desired amount of shear force necessary to break the first shear pin. The second computing devices may send a triggering signal to activate an actuator prior to an impact with the identified impact target. The actuator, in response to receiving the triggering signal, may adjust the first shear pin in a first pinhole, so the first shear pin will break at the first shear force.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to determining whether an optical interferent is located on a sensor window and providing a way to identify and discard erroneous sensor data. An example system includes a housing, having a first sensor window and a second sensor window, a laser light source, and an optical sensor. The first window has a first property for deflecting water, and the second window has a second property for deflecting water different from the first property. The source is configured to generate a beam of light through the first window. One or more processors are configured to receive sensor data from the optical sensor and determine that an optical interferent is located on a surface of at least one of the first window and the sensor window based on a comparison between sensor data corresponding to the first window and sensor data corresponding to the second window.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to determining whether an optical interferent is located on a sensor window and providing a way to identify and discard erroneous sensor data. An example system includes a housing, having a first sensor window and a second sensor window, a laser light source, and an optical sensor. The first window has a first property for deflecting water, and the second window has a second property for deflecting water different from the first property. The source is configured to generate a beam of light through the first window. One or more processors are configured to receive sensor data from the optical sensor and determine that an optical interferent is located on a surface of at least one of the first window and the sensor window based on a comparison between sensor data corresponding to the first window and sensor data corresponding to the second window.

Abstract: This technology relates to a system for clearing sensors. The system may include an air knife configured to clear a sensor housing of debris. The air knife may be attached to a bearing comprising a bearing ring. The system may also include a motor, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the bearing ring around the sensor housing.

Abstract: The disclosure provides for a system. The system may include a rotational control system configured to rotate a seat of a vehicle, and one or more computing devices. The one or more computing devices may have one or more processors that are configured to determine that an impact is imminent at a location on the vehicle along a collision axis. A most favorable orientation may be determined by the one or more processors based on the determined location and collision axis. Using the rotational control system, the one or more processors may rotate the seat of the vehicle to the most favorable orientation in order to reduce risks of serious injury to a passenger in the seat caused by the imminent impact. A translational control system may be used by the one or more processors to translate the seat of the vehicle to a position relative to the determined location.

Abstract: The disclosure provides for a wiper system for cleaning a surface of a sensor housing, such as a sensor housing positioned on top of a vehicle. The wiper system includes a plurality of windows spaced around a sensor housing, and a plurality of wipers positioned around the sensor housing, each of the wipers includes a wiper blade configured to clean a corresponding window of the plurality of windows. The wiper system further includes a drive system including a movable part coupled to a motor. The motor is configured to drive the drive system to simultaneously rotate the plurality of wipers around the sensor housing such that the plurality of wipers remove debris from the plurality of windows.

Abstract: A mechanism of video coding is provided. The mechanism includes generating a reconstructed video frame. Noise suppression filter parameters are determined by partitioning the reconstructed video frame into blocks and matching the blocks to create patches. The noise suppression filter parameters are then determined based on the patches by creating a transformed matrix of patch frequencies. The noise suppression filter parameters include a noise estimation parameter that is a function of patch frequency. The noise suppression filter parameters are then employed to apply a noise suppression filter to the reconstructed video frame.

Abstract: A computing system can receive local device data transmitted from a computing device associated with a first vehicle while the first vehicle is providing transport for a rider. Based on the local device data, the computing system can detect that a vehicle collision event has occurred. Based on detecting the vehicle collision event, the computing system can obtain trip information identifying a destination location for the rider, and transmit a transport invitation to a computing device of a driver of a second vehicle to provide transport for the rider from a location of the vehicle collision event to the destination location.

Abstract: A network computing system receives local device data from a mobile computing device of a person within a vehicle. The local device data may include sensor data from one or more sensors of the mobile computing device, and location data determined from a position-determination resource of the mobile computing device. The network computing system may detect a vehicle collision event based on the local device data. Additionally, the network computing system may determine a classification of the vehicle collision event based on the local device data.

Abstract: The technology relates to autonomous vehicles that use a perception system to detect objects and features in the vehicle's surroundings. A camera assembly having a ring-type structure is provided that gives the perception system an overall 360° field of view around the vehicle. Image sensors are arranged in camera modules around the assembly to provide a seamless panoramic field of view. One subsystem has multiple pairs of image sensors positioned to provide the overall 360° field of view, while another subsystem provides a set of image sensors generally facing toward the front of the vehicle to provide enhanced object identification. The camera assembly may be arranged in a housing located on top of the vehicle. The housing may include other sensors such as LIDAR and radar. The assembly includes a chassis and top and base plates, which may provide EMI protection from other sensors disposed in the housing.

Abstract: A moving decoy that better captures the natural movements of a goose or similar game bird in critical aspects, most notably, the characteristic, highly flexible goose neck and the wagging of the tail is provided. The invention provides an improved set of neck vertebrae for use in this application and may operate as integrated into the rest of the decoy or as a modular neck modular neck may be attached to a variety of different decoys. Actuation of the neck may be provided by self-contained electrical motor and power unit in the latter case. In an alternative embodiment remote access of the neck may be provided by cables run between the decoy and a remote location.