Abstract: A vaporizer for an electronic cigarette comprises an absorbing structure and a plurality of heating elements. The heating elements are connectable to a power supply unit in the electronic cigarette. The absorbing structure is divided into segments, and each segment is thermally coupled to a respective heating element.

Abstract: A vaporizer for an electronic cigarette is fluidically connectable to a liquid store and electrically connectable to a power supply unit in the electronic cigarette. The vaporizer comprises at least one heating element connectable to the power supply unit, an absorbing structure comprising at least one channel configured to receive liquid from the liquid store and conduct the liquid to the at least one heating element, and a pair of electrical contacts. Each electrical contact is arranged about the sides of the at least one channel. The electrical contacts are connectable to an electrical control circuitry when arranged in the electronic cigarette, and the electrical contacts are configured to establish a closed circuit and enable a supply of power to the at least one heating element only when liquid is present in the at least one channel.

Abstract: A cartridge for an electronic cigarette comprises a liquid store and a vaporizer. The vaporizer includes at least one heating element and an absorbing structure. The absorbing structure has at least one channel fluidically connected to the liquid store by a supply conduit. The at least one channel is open in a direction perpendicular to a capillary flow direction within the at least one channel, and the at least one channel is configured to conduct liquid from the liquid store to the at least one heating element.

Abstract: There is provided a method and apparatus for controlling a privacy setting of at least one sensor. A signal is acquired from one or more sensors. A characteristic of one or more subjects is detected in the acquired signal. A privacy level is set based on the detected characteristic of the one or more subjects. A privacy setting of at least one sensor is controlled based on the set privacy level.

Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to a method performed by a system (100) for handling variations in a mark (110) printed by a group (105) of industrial printers (101). The system (100) obtains images of the printed mark (110) printed by each of the printers (101) in the group (105). The system (100) creates a composite image from the obtained images. The printed marks (110) appear as a repeating pattern in the composite image. The system (100) compares the printed marks (110) in the composite image to each other or to another mark. The system (100) detects variations with a first resolution in the printed marks (110) in the composite image as a result of the comparison. The system (100) creates an augmented image in which the detected variations are augmented to a second resolution. The first resolution is lower than the second resolution.

Abstract: In an aspect of the invention, a method of identifying sensory inputs affecting working memory load of an individual is provided. The method comprises monitoring (S101) working memory load of the individual using a sensor device, detecting (S102) an increase in the working memory load of the individual, and identifying (S103), in response to the detected increase, at least one sensory input affecting the working memory load of the individual.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for enabling adaptive audio signal alteration are described. When an input audio signal is received, a determination of whether the user of an audio device hears the input audio signal is performed based upon brain activity of the user. A determination of whether the user is distracted by the audio signal is performed based upon sensor measurements indicating a physical state of the user. In response to determining that the user hears the input audio signal and that the input audio signal causes the user to be distracted, a determination of configuration parameter(s) is performed. An alteration of audio signal(s) is caused based upon the configuration parameter(s) to obtain modified version(s) of the audio signal(s) that are intended to address the distraction caused by the input audio signal, and output audio signals are output, where the output audio signals include the modified versions.

Abstract: A computing device (300) for authenticating a user (110), such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet, or the like, is provided. The computing device is operative to acquire a representation of a melody generated by the user, and authenticate the user in response to determining that the acquired representation of the user-generated melody and a representation of a reference melody fulfil a similarity condition. The user-generated melody may either be vocalized or subvocalized. If the melody is vocalized, the representation is derived from audio data captured by a microphone (102). If the melody is subvocalized, the representation is derived from nerve signals captured by sensors attached to the throat (111) of the user, or from a video sequence acquired from a camera (103), the video sequence capturing one or more body parts (111-115) of the user subvocalizing the melody, by magnifying motions of the one or more body parts which are correlated with the subvocalized melody.

Abstract: A device for providing a touch-based user interface is disclosed. The device comprises a screen, a camera, and a processor. The camera images a reflection of the screen by a cornea of a user of the device. The processor displays at least one user-interface element on the screen, detects that a finger of a hand touches or is about to touch the screen, estimates a trajectory of the finger, and determines an intended location of touch of the finger on the screen. The trajectory of the finger is estimated by analyzing a sequence of images of the reflection. The intended location of touch is determined based on the estimated trajectory of the finger.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a computing device for helping a particular user use a user interface (UI). Electroencephalography (EEG) data is obtained that indicates brain activity of a particular user during a period in which that user views the UI and/or interprets help information that describes how to use the UI. Based on the EEG data, the computing device selects, from among multiple predefined cognitive states, the one or more cognitive states that characterize the particular user during the period. The computing device assists the particular user to use the UI by customizing the help information for the particular user based on the one or more selected cognitive states. A complementary computing device and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to virtualizing a network function in an ad-hoc group. The ad-hoc group comprises a plurality of mobile terminals that are configured for device-to-device communication, e.g., Proximity-Based Services (ProSe). The ProSe-enabled mobile terminals subscribe to a Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) service with an NFV management server. The NFV management server discovers the ad-hoc group that is suitable for NFV and informs an NFV application server of the ad-hoc group. The NFV application server then downloads data and configuration parameters to the ad-hoc group to offload a network function to the ad-hoc group for execution.

Abstract: In an aspect of the invention, a method of identifying sensory inputs affecting working memory load of an individual is provided. The method comprises monitoring (S101) working memory load of the individual using a sensor device, detecting (S102) an increase in the working memory load of the individual, and identifying (S103), in response to the detected increase, at least one sensory input affecting the working memory load of the individual.

Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to a method performed by a system (100) for handling variations in a mark (110) printed by a group (105) of industrial printers (101). The system (100) obtains images of the printed mark (110) printed by each of the printers (101) in the group (105). The system (100) creates a composite image from the obtained images. The printed marks (110) appear as a repeating pattern in the composite image. The system (100) compares the printed marks (110) in the composite image to each other or to another mark. The system (100) detects variations with a first resolution in the printed marks (110) in the composite image as a result of the comparison. The system (100) creates an augmented image in which the detected variations are augmented to a second resolution. The first resolution is lower than the second resolution.

Abstract: A method is implemented by a computing device for helping a particular user use a user interface (UI). Electroencephalography (EEG) data is obtained that indicates brain activity of a particular user during a period in which that user views the UI and/or interprets help information that describes how to use the UI. Based on the EEG data, the computing device selects, from among multiple predefined cognitive states, the one or more cognitive states that characterize the particular user during the period. The computing device assists the particular user to use the UI by customizing the help information for the particular user based on the one or more selected cognitive states. A complementary computing device and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electronic cigarette includes a main body having a receiving cavity configured to receive a removable consumable including a substance to be vaporized, and an electrical circuitry, wherein the electrical circuitry includes a heating circuit that is connectable to a heater configured to supply energy to the consumable such as to vaporize the substance, and wherein the electrical circuitry further includes an open control circuit including and connected to at least two electrical contact points arranged as a pair and configured to establish a closed electrical circuit when they are in contact with a conductive surface on the removable consumable, the conductive surface being separate from the heater. The open control circuit includes a plurality of closable branches, wherein each branch of the open control circuit is provided with a pair of electrical contact points. The electrical circuitry further includes a controller.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising means for receiving a token bid for an application to access a user-output resource of the apparatus; controlling access to the user-output resource of the apparatus in dependence upon at least the token bid for the application to access the user-output resource of the apparatus; and providing tokens for use in one or more token bids for the application to access the user-output resource of the apparatus wherein the number of tokens provided for token bids for the application is dependent upon at least a monitored behavior of the user.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to virtualizing a network function in an ad-hoc group. The ad-hoc group comprises a plurality of mobile terminals (302, 304) that are configured for device-to-device communication, e.g., Proximity-Based Services (ProSe). The Pro Se-enabled mobile terminals (302, 304) subscribe to a Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) service with an NFV management server (322). The NFV management server (322) discovers the ad-hoc group that is suitable for NFV and informs an NFV application server (324) of the ad-hoc group. The NFV application server (324) then downloads data and configuration parameters to the ad-hoc group to offload a network function to the ad-hoc group for execution.

Abstract: An electronic cigarette includes a plurality of liquid reservoirs configured to store different liquids, each of the liquid reservoirs being fluidically coupled to a heater, a memory configured to store at least one program defining which heater is activated and a duration of time for the activation, a timer configured to regulate the time during which each heater is activated, a controller configured to selectively control the activation of each heater according to the at least one program on the memory, wherein the electronic cigarette is configured to produce a vapour with variations in its composition over time during the course of a vaping session.

Abstract: A computing device (200) for authenticating a user (110) is provided. The computing device is operative to display a first text (131) to the user, acquire a representation of the user subvocalizing a part of the first text, derive a user phrasing signature from the acquired representation, and authenticate the user in response to determining that the user phrasing signature and a reference phrasing signature fulfil a similarity condition. Optionally, the computing device may be further operative to determine if the user is authorized to read the first text. Further optionally, the computing device may be operative to reveal obfuscated parts of the first text in response to determining that the user is authorized to read the first text, or to discontinue displaying the first text, or to obfuscate at least part of the first text, in response to determining that the user is not authorized to read the first text.

Abstract: A computing device having the capability to dynamically select a voice that will be used by a speech synthesizer in creating synthesized speech for use in communicating with a user of the computing device is provided. For example, in some embodiments, the computing device: i) employs the speech synthesizer to have a first audible communication with the user using a first voice; ii) stores user satisfaction data that can be used to determine a user's satisfaction with an action the user took in response to the first audible communication; and iii) determines whether a different voice should be used during a second audible communication with the user based on the stored user satisfaction data.