Abstract: Array microphone systems and methods that can automatically focus and/or place beamformed lobes in response to detected sound activity are provided. The automatic focus and/or placement of the beamformed lobes can be inhibited based on a remote far end audio signal. The quality of the coverage of audio sources in an environment may be improved by ensuring that beamformed lobes are optimally picking up the audio sources even if they have moved and changed locations.

Abstract: A microphone module comprises a housing, an audio bus, and a first plurality of microphones in communication with the audio bus. The microphone module further comprises a module processor in communication with the first plurality of microphones and the audio bus. The module processor is configured to detect the presence of an array processor in communication with the audio bus, detect the presence of a second microphone module in communication with the audio bus, and configure the audio bus to pass audio signals from both the first plurality of microphones and the second microphone module to the array processor.

Abstract: Array microphone systems and methods that can automatically focus and/or place beamformed lobes in response to detected sound activity are provided. The automatic focus and/or placement of the beamformed lobes can be inhibited based on a remote far end audio signal. The quality of the coverage of audio sources in an environment may be improved by ensuring that beamformed lobes are optimally picking up the audio sources even if they have moved and changed locations.

Abstract: A visualization system using mixed reality provides an “extended view” to the pilot or other crew of an aircraft. The extended view enables the user to visualize obstructed objects projected onto the real world scene viewed by the pilot using an optical the see-through display (OSTD) thus providing the user with greater situational awareness. A LIDAR point cloud model of the environment around the aircraft is generated from two or more laser scanning devices providing a 360 degree panoramic view. The combined point cloud model is aligned with the pilot's real world view based on the pilot's “pose” and projected onto the OSTD as an overlay so that the pilot sees the combined point cloud model in relation to the real world as seen by the pilot. One aspect of the invention is that the raw sensor data from the LIDAR devices is displayed on the actual real-world scene as a point cloud without any further image processing to enhance the user's perception.

Abstract: A paper toweling dispenser for dispensing paper toweling from a roll of paper toweling including a top roller located between the paper roll and the drum of the dispenser which moves in radial cams along the outer circumference of the drum as a pulling force is applied to the leading edge of the paper toweling by a user.

Abstract: Embodiments include a microphone assembly comprising an array microphone and a housing configured to support the array microphone and sized and shaped to be mountable in a drop ceiling in place of at least one of a plurality of ceiling tiles included in the drop ceiling. A front face of the housing includes a sound-permeable screen having a size and shape that is substantially similar to the at least one of the plurality of ceiling tiles. Embodiments also include an array microphone system comprising a plurality of microphones arranged, on a substrate, in a number of concentric, nested rings of varying sizes around a central point of the substrate. Each ring comprises a subset of the plurality of microphones positioned at predetermined intervals along a circumference of the ring.

Abstract: A lever assembly includes a lever, a first lever member, and a second lever member. The first lever member has a first lever member first portion and a first lever member second portion. The first lever member first portion defines a first opening and a notch. The second lever member defines a tab that extends into the notch and a first post that extends into the first opening to connect the second lever member to the first lever member first portion.

Abstract: Acoustic echo cancellation systems and methods are provided that can cancel and suppress acoustic echo from the output of a mixer that has mixed audio signals from a plurality of acoustic sources, such as microphones. The microphones may have captured speech and sound from a remote location or far end, such as in a conferencing environment. The acoustic echo cancellation may generate an echo-cancelled mixed audio signal based on a mixed audio signal from a mixer, information gathered from the audio signal from each of the plurality of acoustic sources, and a remote audio signal. The systems and methods may be computationally efficient and resource-friendly.

Abstract: A visualization system using mixed reality provides an “extended view” to the pilot or other crew of an aircraft. The extended view enables the user to visualize obstructed objects projected onto the real world scene viewed by the pilot using an optical the see-through display (OSTD) thus providing the user with greater situational awareness. A LIDAR point cloud model of the environment around the aircraft is generated from two or more laser scanning devices providing a 360 degree panoramic view. The combined point cloud model is aligned with the pilot's real world view based on the pilot's “pose” and projected onto the OSTD as an overlay so that the pilot sees the combined point cloud model in relation to the real world as seen by the pilot. One aspect of the invention is that the raw sensor data from the LIDAR devices is displayed on the actual real-world scene as a point cloud without any further image processing to enhance the user's perception.

Abstract: Surrogate materials are in the form of solid particles that include surrogate isotopes, namely, short-lived isotopes selected and formed to serve as surrogates for the radioactive materials of a nuclear fallout without including isotopes that are, or that decay to, biologically or environmentally deleterious and persistent isotopes. The surrogate material may be formed using high-purity reactant material and irradiation and separation techniques that enable tailoring of the isotopes and ratios thereof included in the surrogate material, and the surrogate material may be dispersed, e.g., in a training environment, in solid form.

Abstract: Array microphone systems and methods having adjustable lobe shapes are provided. The lobe shapes of pickup patterns in an array microphone may be adjusted by weighting the audio signals of subsets of the microphone elements that make up the array. The lobe shapes may be adjusted in a direction independent of a steering vector of the lobe. Users may have greater control of lobes which can result in more efficient and optimal coverage of audio sources in environments.

Abstract: A microphone module comprises a housing, an audio bus, and a first plurality of microphones in communication with the audio bus. The microphone module further comprises a module processor in communication with the first plurality of microphones and the audio bus. The module processor is configured to detect the presence of an array processor in communication with the audio bus, detect the presence of a second microphone module in communication with the audio bus, and configure the audio bus to pass audio signals from both the first plurality of microphones and the second microphone module to the array processor.

Abstract: A software-based conferencing platform is provided. The platform comprises a plurality of audio sources providing input audio signals, the audio sources including a virtual audio device driver configured to receive far-end input audio signals from a conferencing software module, and a network audio library configured to receive near-end input audio signals from one or more near-end audio devices. The platform further comprises a digital signal processing component configured to receive the input audio signals from the audio sources and generate audio output signals based the received signals, the digital signal processing component comprising an acoustic echo cancellation module configured to apply acoustic echo cancellation techniques to one or more of the near-end input audio signals.

Abstract: A lever assembly includes a lever, a first lever member, and a second lever member. The first lever member has a first lever member first portion and a first lever member second portion. The first lever member first portion defines a first opening and a notch. The second lever member defines a tab that extends into the notch and a first post that extends into the first opening to connect the second lever member to the first lever member first portion.

Abstract: Embodiments include a microphone array with a plurality of microphone elements comprising a first set of elements arranged along a first axis, comprising at least two microphone elements spaced apart by a first distance; a second set of elements arranged along the first axis, comprising at least two microphone elements spaced apart by a second, greater distance, such that the first set is nested within the second set; a third set of elements arranged along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, comprising at least two microphone elements spaced apart by the second distance; and a fourth set of elements nested within the third set along the second axis, comprising at least two microphone elements spaced apart by the first distance, wherein each set includes a first cluster of microphone elements and a second cluster of microphone elements spaced apart by the specified distance.

Abstract: Augmented reality visual display of microphone pick-up patterns are disclosed. An example method includes capturing, via a camera of a computing device, an image of a microphone, and displaying the image on a display of the computing device. The method also includes determining, by the computing device, a location and orientation of the microphone relative to the camera, determining one or more parameters of a pick-up pattern of the microphone, determining a visual representation of the pick-up pattern based on the one or more parameters, and displaying the visual representation of the pick-up pattern overlaid on the image of the microphone.

Abstract: A microphone module comprises a housing, an audio bus, and a first plurality of microphones in communication with the audio bus. The microphone module further comprises a module processor in communication with the first plurality of microphones and the audio bus. The module processor is configured to detect the presence of an array processor in communication with the audio bus, detect the presence of a second microphone module in communication with the audio bus, and configure the audio bus to pass audio signals from both the first plurality of microphones and the second microphone module to the array processor.

Abstract: Acoustic echo cancellation systems and methods are provided that can cancel and suppress acoustic echo from the output of a mixer that has mixed audio signals from a plurality of acoustic sources, such as microphones. The microphones may have captured speech and sound from a remote location or far end, such as in a conferencing environment. The acoustic echo cancellation may generate an echo-cancelled mixed audio signal based on a mixed audio signal from a mixer, information gathered from the audio signal from each of the plurality of acoustic sources, and a remote audio signal. The systems and methods may be computationally efficient and resource-friendly.

Abstract: Compositions comprising a biguanide derivative like chlorhexidine are disclosed for use in methods of preventing bacterial growth in a wound or surgical site of a subject. The methods involve irrigating or coating the wound or surgical site with the solution and then closing or covering the wound or surgical site without washing the solution from the wound or surgical site with saline or water. Articles such a breast implants, tissue expander, titanium implants, tubes, surgical drains, and devices designed to ease the insertion or for sterile insertion of implants (e.g. funnels) that are coated with a biguanide derivative are also disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments include a microphone assembly comprising an array microphone and a housing configured to support the array microphone and sized and shaped to be mountable in a drop ceiling in place of at least one of a plurality of ceiling tiles included in the drop ceiling. A front face of the housing includes a sound-permeable screen having a size and shape that is substantially similar to the at least one of the plurality of ceiling tiles. Embodiments also include an array microphone system comprising a plurality of microphones arranged, on a substrate, in a number of concentric, nested rings of varying sizes around a central point of the substrate. Each ring comprises a subset of the plurality of microphones positioned at predetermined intervals along a circumference of the ring.