Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to enable a user to conduct a transaction using their credentials stored on a secure server computer (e.g., a computer associated with a partner such as another merchant) by merely presenting their authentication data at a physical location via an auxiliary device. An auxiliary device may be provided for interfacing with a partners backend server (e.g., the secure server computer). In some embodiments, biometric authentication may provide a mechanism for a true seamless and potentially frictionless (in the case of modalities that do not require physical contact) interaction. Payment can occur without any need for a card, phone, wearable, or any other user device as long as the auxiliary device is able to recognize the user and retrieve a credential that can be linked to that user.

Abstract: A device for detecting cotinine includes (a) a film that includes a plurality of molecularly-imprinted-polymer (MIP) coated conductive nanoparticles having specific affinity for binding with cotinine, and (b) two electrodes in contact with the film for passing electrical current through the film to detect binding with cotinine as a change in electrical conductivity of the film. A MIP coated conductive nanoparticle for detecting cotinine includes (a) a conductive nanoparticle, (b) a silicon dioxide coating formed on the conductive nanoparticle and forming a first shell around the conductive nanoparticle, and (c) an MIP coating formed on the silicon dioxide coating and forming the second shell, wherein the MIP coating includes a polymer molecularly imprinted with cotinine to provide specific affinity for binding of cotinine to the MIP coated conductive nanoparticle such that the cotinine is detectable as a change in electrical conductivity of the MIP coated conductive nanoparticle.

Abstract: A device that is configured to receive user activity information from a network device. The user activity information includes information about user interactions with the network device for a plurality of users. The device is further configured to input the user activity information into a machine learning model. The machine learning model is configured to receive user activity information and to output a set of bad actor candidates based on the user activity information. The set of bad actor candidates identifies one or more users from among the plurality of users. The device is further configured to receive the set of bad actor candidates from the machine learning model and to output the set of bad actor candidates.

Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling a converter, in particular of a wind turbine, the converter including a first converter portion connected to a generator, a DC-link, and a second converter portion connected to a utility grid. The method including: controlling the first converter portion and the second converter portion by a first control signal and a second control signal, respectively, both being derived based on a requested power signal, in particular requested active power signal, and a generator rotational speed, wherein the first control signal indicates substantially constant generator torque for rotational speed variations of the generator rotational speed above a frequency threshold.

Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes: providing a flow of a primary fuel to a combustor of a turbomachine, the turbomachine including a compressor, a turbine, and a spool rotatable with the compressor and the turbine; receiving data indicative of a spool parameter of the spool; and modifying a flow of a secondary fuel to the combustor in response to the received data indicative of the spool parameter of the spool.

Abstract: A system providing self-service access to locked merchandise comprising: (a) providing a fixture that restricts access to the locked merchandise, wherein the fixture can automatically lock or unlock, allowing or restricting access to the locked merchandise; (b) providing a means of uniquely identifying an individual attempting to access the merchandise; (c) measuring a set of behaviors of the individual during any time the fixture is an open mode; (d) assessing whether the set of behaviors of the individual are suspicious or not relative to a set of suspicious event thresholds; (e) storing the individual and their set of behaviors as accessible records in at least one database; and (f) providing an algorithm which determines future access privileges of the individual to the enclosure based on a set of variables.

Abstract: A pole system if provided for supporting birding accessories, such as bird feeders, perches or bird houses. The pole system includes a hollow outer tube and an elongated post extending therethrough. The post has an auger at one end and an opposite end configured to engage a tool for rotating the post. A disk is attached to a bottom end of the outer tube to engage the ground when the pole system is installed. A plurality of stakes are removably engaged to the disk to project radially outward from the outer tube. The stakes include a downturned end for driving into the ground after the auger has been threaded into the ground.

Abstract: A current mode end-to-end signal path includes, a digital to analog converter (DAC), operating in current mode and an upconverting mixer, operating in current mode and operatively coupled to the DAC, wherein analog inputs and analog outputs of the DAC and the upconverting mixer are represented as currents, and the DAC generates a baseband signal.

Abstract: Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a user equipment (UE) may receive a sounding reference signal (SRS) configuration that indicates a maximum number of SRS ports and whether the UE is permitted to determine an actual number of SRS ports to be used for SRS transmission that is different from the maximum number of SRS ports. The UE may determine the actual number of SRS ports to be used for SRS transmission based at least in part on the SRS configuration. The UE may transmit one or more SRSs using the actual number of SRS ports. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, receiving, at a device, a message over a communication network from a remote source, determining if the message includes executable code and initiating a virtual machine in an isolated portion of the memory of the device responsive to the determining the message include executable code. Aspects of the subject disclosure further include executing, by the virtual machine, the executable code within the isolated portion of the memory, monitoring, by an artificial intelligence module, activities of the executable code during the executing the executable code and determining if the executable code comprises malicious code responsive to the monitoring activities of the executable code. Aspects of the disclosure further include deleting the executable code from the device in response to a determination that the executable code comprises malicious code. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An example method of encoding a point cloud includes determining one or more attribute parameters of an attribute of a point in the point cloud of a frame, wherein the one or more attribute parameters define how to determine or use a value of the attribute and are applicable to a plurality of points in the point cloud; and signaling, in a bitstream indicative of the point cloud, the one or more attribute parameters in a syntax structure that is specific to the frame.

Abstract: In an example implementation, a head-mounted display (HMD) device includes a display, a variable lens receptacle to receive an interchangeable lens, a sensor to retrieve lens information from the lens, and a controller to obtain images that are predistorted according to the lens information, wherein the controller is to display the predistorted images on the display.

Abstract: In embodiments a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) system is worn by an ambulatory patient. The WCD system analyzes an ECG signal of the patient, to determine whether or not the patient should be given an electric shock to restart their heart. If the WCD system determines that such a shock should be given, then it also determines whether or not a High Frequency (H-F) noise criterion is met by the ECG signal. If that H-F noise criterion is not met, the patient can be shocked. If, however, that H-F noise criterion is met, then the WCD system can confirm before shocking, by sensing another portion of the ECG signal, analyzing again, and so on. Thanks to the confirmation before shocking, the possibility is diminished that the ECG signal will indicate that a shock is needed falsely, due to H-F noise. This can further reduce false patient alarms, and so on.

Abstract: A process for pyrolysis of a mixed plastic stream that contains polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is provided in which the chloride from PVC is removed from an initial melting reactor that heats the mixed plastic stream to a sufficient temperature to produce HCl but at a low enough temperature to avoid production of organochlorides. Chloride is primarily removed in a vapor stream from the initial melting reactor, while additional chloride removal may be removed downstream from the melting reactor by the use of sorbent addition to the pyrolysis reactor and by subsequent adsorbent beds.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system and method for restoring volumes in a data storage system. A virtual restoration of a volume of data stored in storage is performed using a target volume. In one embodiment, the virtual restoration includes configuring metadata associated with the target volume, to map the target volume to the recover volume as a virtual restoration of the recover volume. In response to a request by a host for data stored on the recover volume, physical restoration of data of the recover volume is performed using the target volume. In one embodiment, the physical restoration includes transferring data to the target volume from the recover volume to which the target volume is mapped by the virtual restoration. In addition, transferred data is relabeled as target volume data instead of recover volume data.