Abstract: A method for determining the growth stage of a plant is disclosed. The method comprises illuminating the plant with illumination light. The illumination light causes response light from the plant. The method further comprises detecting the response light from the plant, and, based on the detected response light, determining the growth stage of the plant. In this method, (i) illuminating the plant comprises illuminating with at least partially polarized illumination light, and/or (ii) detecting the response light comprises polarization filtering the response light.

Abstract: A board holder for storing a marine board includes: a body extending in a length direction, the body having a board support for receiving and supporting a first lateral side of the marine board; a first strap fixed to the body at or near the board support; a first fastener adjustably fixed to the first strap; a second strap fixed to the body at: a first location spaced from the board support in the length direction; and a second location disposed between the first location and the board support; and a second fastener freely movable along the second strap, the second fastener being configured to be complementarily mated with the first fastener. When the fasteners are mated with one another, the second strap is positioned to at least partly wrap about the second lateral side of the marine board to secure the marine board in place on the board holder.

Abstract: An automated and dynamic method and system are provided for estimating lighting conditions of a scene captured from a plurality of digital images. The method comprises generating 3D-source-specific-lighting parameters of the scene using a lighting-estimation neural network configured for: extracting from the plurality of images a corresponding number of latent feature vectors; transforming the latent feature vectors into common-coordinates latent feature vectors; merging the plurality of common-coordinates latent feature vectors into a single latent feature vector; and extracting, from the single latent feature vector, 3D-source-specific-lighting parameters of the scene.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods and systems for repelling one or more fish eating predators (4) from a fish-containing area (6) within a sea, fjord, river or lake, wherein a moving image of a predator (18) of the one or more fish eating predators (4) is provided at and/or near a boundary of the fish-containing area (6).

Abstract: The invention relates to an illumination system comprising at least one illumination device as well such illumination device, both the system as the device capable of implementing a lighting functionality as well as an air treatment (disinfecting or purifying) functionality. According to a first aspect of the invention an illumination system composed of at least one illumination device is proposed, with the at least one illumination device comprising a support structure; at least one light emitting source coupled with the support structure for emitting visible light radiation; an ion generating source coupled with the support structure for at least generating ionized molecules in air; and at least one UV light emitting source coupled with the support structure for emitting UV light radiation in a wavelength range for depleting ozone generated by the ion generating source.

Abstract: An interactive computer simulation system, station and method for training a user in the performance of a task through a training activity. A tangible instrument module allows a user to interact with the tangible instrument module for controlling a virtual element. A plurality of performance metric datasets representing results of the interactions between the user and the tangible instrument module is obtained. During execution of the interactive computer simulation, in the plurality of performance metric datasets, a plurality of actual maneuvers of the virtual element are detected during the training activity, one or more standard operating procedures (SOPs) are identified for the training activity from a plurality of the individually detected actual maneuvers. In real-time upon detection of the SOPs, information for display in the interactive computer simulation related the SOPs.

Abstract: Earpieces and methods for acute sound detection and reproduction are provided. A method can include measuring an external ambient sound level (xASL), monitoring a change in the xASL for detecting an acute sound, estimating a proximity of the acute sound, and upon detecting the acute sound and its proximity, reproducing the acute sound within an ear canal, where the ear canal is at least partially occluded by an earpiece. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: In some implementations, a method includes: determining a complexity value for first image data associated with of a physical environment that corresponds to a first time period; determining an estimated composite setup time based on the complexity value for the first image data and virtual content for compositing with the first image data; in accordance with a determination that the estimated composite setup time exceeds the threshold time: forgoing rendering the virtual content from the perspective that corresponds to the camera pose of the device relative to the physical environment during the first time period; and compositing a previous render of the virtual content for a previous time period with the first image data to generate the graphical environment for the first time period.

Abstract: The invention provides a sensing system for determining a parameter of a set of animals present on a surface area, wherein the sensing system comprises: a controller; at least one range sensor having a Field-of-View to the surface area; wherein the at least one range sensor is configured to at least continually measure heights of animals of the set of animals passing the Field-of-View during a period of time, and to provide a height signal comprising said measured heights during the period of time; wherein the controller is configured to obtain said height signal, and to determine the parameter of the set of animals based on the measured heights during the period of time.

Abstract: A feeding device for a manipulator arm has at least one joint, in particular of an industrial robot, having a flexible cable package via which at least one process medium can be fed at least substantially along the end effector of the manipulator arm and having a flexibly slack guide cover element enclosing the cable package. A stiffening device having a holding device is provided, which is arranged in a fixed position on the flexibly slack guide cover element. At least one stiffening element held by the holding device is provided, which, in an activated state of the stiffening device, is acted upon by stiffening energy such that the flexibly slack guide cover element and consequently the cable package are stiffened by the stiffening element.

Abstract: An example network provisioning system includes a provisioning portal that is configured to: receive, from a client device, a selection of a service template specifying network service attributes for a communication service, receive a selection of one or more tracking areas, receive a selection of one or more subscribers, and generate a service order based on the network service attributes for the communication service, the one or more tracking areas, and the one or more subscriber. The network provisioning system is configured to provision the communication service in accordance with the service order.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for managing power output of a converter has been provided by present disclosure having an electrical entry power sensor for measuring power drawn by an electrical entry of a household, a power drawn increase prediction module, a power budget controller managing power allocation to restrict a current level output by the power converter so as to prevent power drawn by the electrical entry from exceeding a predefined limit should the greatest probable jump in power drawn occur, a user interface allowing a user to request changes to said current level output by the power converter to charge an electric vehicle, wherein the power budget controller makes suggestions to said user to adjust said power drawn and has the user confirm said changes in order to reallocate said allocation according to said user's adjustments.

Abstract: A composition contains a mixture of silyl hydride, epoxide and a Bridged Frustrated Lewis Pair.

Abstract: A method of tracking 3D position and orientation of an entity in a moving platform is described. The method comprises receiving data sensed by an inertial measurement unit mounted on the entity. Visual tracking data is also received, computed from images depicting the moving platform or the entity in the moving platform. The method computes the 3D position and orientation of the entity by estimating a plurality of states using the visual tracking data and the data sensed by the inertial measurement unit, where the states comprise both states of the moving platform and states of the entity.

Abstract: A computing device is configured to: obtain information of tracking areas including a first and second tracking area, the first tracking area comprising first cells and the second tracking area comprising second cells; generate a user interface with a visualization of the tracking areas, the user interface comprising first cell user interface elements visually representing the first cells and second cell user interface elements visually representing the second cells; output the user interface for display at a display device; receive user input indicative of filtering criteria; generate a modified user interface by modifying at least one of the first cell user interface elements or the second user interface elements to visually indicate the first tracking area satisfies the filtering criteria and the second tracking area does not satisfy the filtering criteria; and output the modified user interface for display at the display device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new process for the production of specific intermediates, which are preferably used in the production of vitamin A and/or vitamin A acetate.

Abstract: A wireless network comprises access points (APs) implementing roaming by way of handover of wireless devices between APs. Handover events over an analysis time interval are extracted from a wireless network log of the wireless network. Each handover event comprises a source AP from which a wireless device disconnects and a destination AP to which the wireless device connects. At least one handover frequency (HF) network topology graph is constructed fro the analysis time interval from the extracted handover events. The graph has nodes representing at least a subset of the APs of the extracted handover events and edges connecting pairs of nodes with each edge having a weight representing a count or frequency of handover events between the APs represented by the pair of nodes connected by the edge. A network diagnostic or visualization task is performed using the HF network topology graph.

Abstract: An earpiece (100) and acoustic management module (300) for in-ear canal echo suppression control suitable is provided. The earpiece can include an Ambient Sound Microphone (111) to capture ambient sound, an Ear Canal Receiver (125) to deliver audio content to an ear canal, an Ear Canal Microphone (123) configured to capture internal sound, and a processor (121) to generate a voice activity level (622) and suppress an echo of spoken voice in the electronic internal signal, and mix an electronic ambient signal with an electronic internal signal in a ratio dependent on the voice activity level and a background noise level to produce a mixed signal (323) that is delivered to the ear canal (131).

Abstract: A method for authorizing access to one or more secured computer resources includes obfuscating a reference biometric vector into an obfuscated reference biometric vector using a similarity-preserving obfuscation. An authentication biometric vector is obfuscated into an obfuscated authentication biometric vector using the similarity-preserving obfuscation. A similarity of the obfuscated authentication biometric vector and the obfuscated reference biometric vector is tested. Based on the similarity being within an authentication threshold, access to the one or more secured computer resources is authorized.

Abstract: A cosmetic applicator is formed from two lateral branches that extend from a hub. The lateral branches arc away from one another and then toward one another as they extend in the distal direction with each branch forming a concave inside edge. The concave edges of the branches define a cavity. Distal ends of the branches are unconnected, allowing the branches to flex independently of one another. A membrane extends from the hub and is at least partially positioned in the cavity between the branches. The hub and branches are formed from a first material with a first hardness. The membrane is formed from a second material with a hardness different from the first material.