Abstract: Among other things, a digitally controlled actuator has a connector for coupling to a drive mechanism of an existing hand-driven cartridge reloader, to actuate a series of processing cycles of the reloader in which supplies of components are subjected to successive mechanical processing steps to produce reloaded cartridges ready for use. There are sensors associated with the actuator and the reloader to (a) acquire digital information that is indicative of a state of progress of each of the processing cycles and of conditions of the reloader related to the production of the reloaded cartridges, and (b) deliver the digital information to a digital controller for controlling the processing cycles of the reloader. The digital controller is connected to receive the digital information from the sensors and to control automatic operation of the reloader in successive processing cycles to produce reloaded cartridges without requiring human intervention.

Abstract: An example information encryption method that includes acquiring to-be-encrypted information and converting the to-be-encrypted information into a polynomial of a predetermined format; extracting biometric information, and acquiring biometric data; and substituting the biometric data into the polynomial for calculation to acquire a value of the polynomial and using a two-dimensional dataset including the biometric data and the value of the polynomial corresponding to the biometric data as first encrypted information. The techniques of the present disclosure improve the security of information encryption, and reduce the risk of illegal decryption of encrypted information.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus of verifying a usability of a biological characteristic image are disclosed. The method includes: receiving a biological characteristic image uploaded by a terminal; verifying a digital watermark included in the biological characteristic image; and if verification is passed, determining that the biological characteristic image is usable. The technical solution of the present disclosure can ensure that a biological characteristic image generated in a device can only be used in that device, thus avoiding a security problem which may be caused by the theft and interception of a biological characteristic image of a user when storing or transmitting the image using a biological recognition technology.

Abstract: Among other things, a digitally controlled actuator has a connector for coupling to a drive mechanism of an existing hand-driven cartridge reloader, to actuate a series of processing cycles of the reloader in which supplies of components are subjected to successive mechanical processing steps to produce reloaded cartridges ready for use. There are sensors associated with the actuator and the reloader to (a) acquire digital information that is indicative of a state of progress of each of the processing cycles and of conditions of the reloader related to the production of the reloaded cartridges, and (b) deliver the digital information to a digital controller for controlling the processing cycles of the reloader. The digital controller is connected to receive the digital information from the sensors and to control automatic operation of the reloader in successive processing cycles to produce reloaded cartridges without requiring human intervention.

Abstract: The present application provides a near field information transmission method and system, an information transmitting client, an information receiving client, and an information system. The information transmitting client transmits an acquisition request to the information system. The information transmitting client receives a random number that corresponds to the acquisition request and is returned by the information system. The random number corresponds to the information of said information transmitting client. The information transmitting client uses the random number as a service set identifier of a hotspot, and the service set identifier is broadcast through a beacon frame of a wireless communication protocol. The present techniques conduct near field information transmission conveniently and accurately.

Abstract: A system may perform speech enhancement of audio data in real-time by suppressing noise components that are present in the audio data while preserving speech components. The system may include an in-ear module and a separate signal processing module that is wirelessly communicatively coupled to the in-ear module. The system may include non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) dictionaries capable of identifying frequency band components associated with speech and frequency band components associated with noise. The NMF dictionaries may be trained using voice samples and noise samples. The NMF dictionaries may be applied to noisy speech data to produce an NMF representation of the speech data which may then be applied using a dynamic mask to the noisy speech data in order to suppress the noise components of the noisy speech data and produce speech enhanced data.

Abstract: A toy set is provided including a reconfigurable toy capable of transitioning between a first configuration and a second configuration. The toy set also includes a launch mechanism having an activation means and a toy receiver. A propulsion mechanism transfers movement of the activation means to the reconfigurable toy to propel the reconfigurable toy in a second configuration from the launch mechanism along a propulsion axis.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method and apparatus for updating server firmware in a server. The server is based on a Purley platform, a South Bridge chip of the server is electrically connected to a BMC through an ESPI bus, and the BMC is electrically connected to a firmware memory storing server firmware and a BMC memory through the ESPI bus. An embodiment of the method includes: performing a read operation on an image file for updating the server firmware stored in the BMC memory by using the BMC, when a preset upgrading condition is satisfied; and updating the server firmware stored in the firmware memory based on information read from the read operation. This embodiment achieves an updating of server firmware without additional hardware.

Abstract: The present application provides a near field information transmission method and system, an information transmitting client, an information receiving client, and an information system. The information transmitting client transmits an acquisition request to the information system. The information transmitting client receives a random number that corresponds to the acquisition request and is returned by the information system. The random number corresponds to the information of said information transmitting client. The information transmitting client uses the random number as a service set identifier of a hotspot, and the service set identifier is broadcast through a beacon frame of a wireless communication protocol. The present techniques conduct near field information transmission conveniently and accurately.

Abstract: A cartomizer of an electronic vaping device includes a heater circuit which is located adjacent an air passage thereof. The heater circuit includes an electrically resistive heater in electrical communication with a secondary coil. A wick extends across the air passage. The wick is configured to draw pre-vapor formulation from a reservoir toward the heater. The heater is configured to heat the pre-vapor formulation to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the pre-vapor formulation and form a vapor. The cartomizer is connectable to a power supply component which includes a power source in electrical communication with a primary coil. The power supply component is configured to induce sufficient voltage in the secondary coil of the heater circuit such that the secondary coil is configured to heat the heater and vaporize the pre-vapor formulation when the primary coil is powered by the power source.

Abstract: A system and method is provided that utilizes deep learning, including convolutional neural networks, to identify subject objects in unconstrained user images such as unknown pills. An image of, e.g., a pill, may be captured and subsequently processed using deep learning models to identify the pill. The deep learning models may be optimized to have a small footprint (in terms of computational and memory resources) suitable for a resource-limited device such as a smartphone while retaining a high object recognition accuracy. Each such model may also be run on modified versions of the unconstrained image, for example on color, greyscale, and gradient images, to focus the models on different distinguishing features of the object.

Abstract: A method of scanning a sample includes simultaneously forming a plurality of co-linear scans. Each scan is formed by a sweep of a spot by an acousto-optical device (AOD). The co-linear scans are separated by a predetermined spacing. A first plurality of swaths are formed by repeating the simultaneous forming of the plurality of co-linear scans in a direction perpendicular to the co-linear scans. The first plurality of swaths have an inter-swath spacing that is the same as the predetermined spacing. The predetermined spacing can be a scan length or an integral number of scan lengths. A second plurality of swaths can be formed adjacent to the first plurality of swaths. Forming the second plurality of swaths can be performed in an opposite direction to that of the first plurality of swaths or in a same direction. An inspection system can implement this method by including a diffractive optical element (DOE) path after a magnification changer.

Abstract: A robot control system on a platform which can carry target objects employs a coordinate system including X, Y, and Z axes. A plane including the X and Y axis is parallel with a panel including the platform. After the coordinate system is created, a reminder is displayed and a guiding tool is placed in a position on the platform where the target objects are located, and a fastening tool for use with the guiding tool is arranged on hand of the robot. A location of the fastening tool relative to the guiding tool is adjusted according to a predefined rule. When the location of the fastening tool relative to the guiding tool is correctly adjusted, a position of the end effect of the robot is determined according to the location of the fastening tool and the relevant coordinates are stored as data.

Abstract: A cartomizer of an electronic vaping device includes a heater circuit which is located adjacent an air passage thereof. The heater circuit includes an electrically resistive heater in electrical communication with a secondary coil. A wick extends across the air passage. The wick is configured to draw pre-vapor formulation from a reservoir toward the heater. The heater is configured to heat the pre-vapor formulation to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the pre-vapor formulation and form a vapor. The cartomizer is connectable to a power supply component which includes a power source in electrical communication with a primary coil. The power supply component is configured to induce sufficient voltage in the secondary coil of the heater circuit such that the secondary coil is configured to heat the heater and vaporize the pre-vapor formulation when the primary coil is powered by the power source.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for client authentication. The server receives from a client a request for identity authentication corresponding to a user account. A social relationship similarity is computed as a result of matching social relationship data of the client and the stored social relationship data of the user account. If the similarity meets a preset passing condition, the client is allowed to pass the identity authentication.

Abstract: The present invention relates to radiolabeled LPA1 receptor antagonists or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof which are useful for the quantitative imaging of LPA1 receptors in mammals.

Abstract: A bias-variant photomultiplier tube (PMT) includes a photocathode that when operating absorbs photons and emits photoelectrons responsive to the absorbed photons. The bias-variant PMTO also includes a plurality of dynodes that receive the photoelectrons emitted by the photocathode. The plurality of dynodes include a first pair of dynodes having a first bias difference and at least a second pair of dynodes having a second bias difference. The second bias difference is greater than the first bias difference. The bias-variant PMTO also includes an anode to receive photoelectrons directed from the plurality of dynodes.

Abstract: An example information encryption method that includes acquiring to-be-encrypted information and converting the to-be-encrypted information into a polynomial of a predetermined format; extracting biometric information, and acquiring biometric data; and substituting the biometric data into the polynomial for calculation to acquire a value of the polynomial and using a two-dimensional dataset including the biometric data and the value of the polynomial corresponding to the biometric data as first encrypted information. The techniques of the present disclosure improve the security of information encryption, and reduce the risk of illegal decryption of encrypted information.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present application relate to a method, a system, and a computer program product for authenticating a service. A method for authenticating a service is provided. The method includes receiving a first service request from a first terminal, generating a first link address that is used to link to an access location based on the received first service request, determining a preset terminal identifier corresponding to a second terminal, the preset terminal identifier being a terminal identifier preset by the user, sending the first link address to the second terminal, receiving a first link request, determining an issued terminal identifier based on the first link request, comparing the determined issued terminal identifier with the preset terminal identifier of the second terminal, and performing a next processing operation on the first service request based on the comparison result.

Abstract: A battery section of an electronic vaping device may include a housing extending in a longitudinal direction, the housing having a first end and a second end, a power supply in the housing, a control circuit in the housing, and a conductive contact assembly at the second end of the housing, the contact assembly electrically connecting the power supply and the control circuit. The contact assembly is configured to receive external power and at least one command.