Abstract: A drive train for a wind-up injection device is described. The drive train includes a torsional energy storage adapted to be loaded or unloaded by a rotatable element, a rotatable user handle, a rotationally driveable expelling mechanism adapted to expel the liquid drug, and a clutch element coupled with the torsional energy storage via the rotatable element and including a ratchet for maintaining the rotatable element at one of a number of discrete angular positions against the torque of the torsional energy storage. The clutch element is adapted to transmit the torque from the user handle to the torsional energy storage, or alternatively from the torsional energy storage to the expelling mechanism. The ratchet is switchable from one position to an adjacent position by a torque transmitted from the user handle to the torsional energy storage. The drive train is adapted to dampen torque peaks visco-elastically and/or visco-frictionally.

Abstract: A button for a drug delivery device with a reduced operating loudness includes a plate-like button body forming a touch surface, wherein the plate-like button body is coupled by an axial supporting member to a noise-generating interface of the drug delivery device and movable into a longitudinal direction of the drug delivery device, wherein the plate-like button body includes a material composite with at least one first component consisting of a first material and at least one second component consisting of a second material different from the first material, wherein the at least one first component and the at least one second component are coupled via at least one coupling plane that is at least sectionwise slanted or perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Further, the disclosure describes a button assembly for a drug delivery device which is shock resistant.

Abstract: Generation of expressive content is provided. An expressive synthesized speech system provides improved voice authoring user interfaces by which a user is enabled to efficiently author content for generating expressive output. An expressive synthesized speech system provides an expressive keyboard for enabling input of textual content and for selecting expressive operators, such as emoji objects or punctuation objects for applying predetermined prosody attributes or visual effects to the textual content. A voicesetting editor mode enables the user to author and adjust particular prosody attributes associated with the content for composing carefully-crafted synthetic speech. An active listening mode (ALM) is provided, which when selected, a set of ALM effect options are displayed, wherein each option is associated with a particular sound effect and/or visual effect. The user is enabled to rapidly respond with expressive vocal sound effects or visual effects while listening to others speak.

Abstract: Generation of expressive content is provided. An expressive synthesized speech system provides improved voice authoring user interfaces by which a user is enabled to efficiently author content for generating expressive output. An expressive synthesized speech system provides an expressive keyboard for enabling input of textual content and for selecting expressive operators, such as emoji objects or punctuation objects for applying predetermined prosody attributes or visual effects to the textual content. A voicesetting editor mode enables the user to author and adjust particular prosody attributes associated with the content for composing carefully-crafted synthetic speech. An active listening mode (ALM) is provided, which when selected, a set of ALM effect options are displayed, wherein each option is associated with a particular sound effect and/or visual effect. The user is enabled to rapidly respond with expressive vocal sound effects or visual effects while listening to others speak.

Abstract: A wearable device conveys information to a user. The device includes a master soft circuit cell and a plurality of actuation soft circuit cells. These cells are physically interconnected to form a garment that is worn by a user and each of these cells includes an electrically non-conductive fabric covering. Each of the actuation cells is electrically connected to and operates under the control of the master cell. The master cell is configured to wirelessly receive actuation instructions and activate a combination of the actuation cells based on the received actuation instructions. Each of the actuation cells is configured to generate a particular actuation that is perceived by one or more senses of the user whenever the actuation cell is activated by the master cell. A system also conveys affective state information to a user.

Abstract: Techniques for text entry using gestures are disclosed. As disclosed, a camera may capture a frame and the face of the user can be detected therein. Landmarks can be aligned to the face in the captured frame. A left eye image and a right eye image may be extracted from the captured frame. The left eye image and the right image each may be resized and compared to a calibration template. A direction of eye gaze may be determined based upon the comparison. A character or word may be predicted based upon the determination of the direction of eye gaze and a known configuration of an eye gaze board (e.g., an E-tran board). The predicted character or word can be included as a part of a text-based message.

Abstract: Speech generating devices, communication systems, and methods for communicating using the devices and systems are disclosed herein. In certain examples, a communication system is configured to receive a generated communication, establish a connection between a speech generating device and a computing device subsequent to receipt of the generated communication, and transmit the generated communication to the computing device. In other examples, a computing device is configured to establish a connection with a speech generating device, and receive a transmission generated by the speech generating device following the connection, the transmission including previously generated communications or real-time communication segments or proxies.

Abstract: An environmental context of a user may be taken into account to enhance the user's communication throughput. An “environmental context” can include spatial surroundings of a user, device, and/or sensor of the device and more broadly to denote the context of the user in a multiplicity of environments such as, for example, the surroundings of a user, a digital environment such as the user or other individuals' interactions with or made near a device, etc. The techniques can include obtaining contextual data to provide context-predicted suggestions of words and/or phrases that a user can select to be output on the user's behalf. In some examples, the techniques can also use contextual data to weight, sort, rank, and/or filter word and/or phrase suggestions.

Abstract: Speech generating devices, communication systems, and methods for communicating using the devices and systems are disclosed herein. In certain examples, the speech generating device includes a display device and an input device configured to generate a communication to be displayed on the display device, wherein the speech generating device is configured to allow a user to select between playing the generated communication through a speaker and transmitting the generated communication via a communication network to a computing device separate from the speech generating device. In certain examples, the computing device may be designated with other computing devices of other conversation partners within a conversation group.

Abstract: Various methods and systems for obtaining remote shopping advice are described herein. In one example, a method includes taking two or more media representations of items to be discussed. A parameter is selected within a social shopping app for obtaining feedback on the items to be discussed. The two or more media representations are assembled into a query within the social shopping app based, at least in part, on the parameter. The query is sent to a reviewer from within the social shopping app. Feedback on the items to be discussed is received from the reviewer within the social shopping app.

Abstract: A wearable device conveys information to a user. The device includes a master soft circuit cell and a plurality of actuation soft circuit cells. These cells are physically interconnected to form a garment that is worn by a user and each of these cells includes an electrically non-conductive fabric covering. Each of the actuation cells is electrically connected to and operates under the control of the master cell. The master cell is configured to wirelessly receive actuation instructions and activate a combination of the actuation cells based on the received actuation instructions. Each of the actuation cells is configured to generate a particular actuation that is perceived by one or more senses of the user whenever the actuation cell is activated by the master cell. A system also conveys affective state information to a user.

Abstract: Generation of expressive content is provided. An expressive synthesized speech system provides improved voice authoring user interfaces by which a user is enabled to efficiently author content for generating expressive output. An expressive synthesized speech system provides an expressive keyboard for enabling input of textual content and for selecting expressive operators, such as emoji objects or punctuation objects for applying predetermined prosody attributes or visual effects to the textual content. A voicesetting editor mode enables the user to author and adjust particular prosody attributes associated with the content for composing carefully-crafted synthetic speech. An active listening mode (ALM) is provided, which when selected, a set of ALM effect options are displayed, wherein each option is associated with a particular sound effect and/or visual effect. The user is enabled to rapidly respond with expressive vocal sound effects or visual effects while listening to others speak.

Abstract: Techniques for text entry using gestures are disclosed. As disclosed, a camera may capture a frame and the face of the user can be detected therein. Landmarks can be aligned to the face in the captured frame. A left eye image and a right eye image may be extracted from the captured frame. The left eye image and the right image each may be resized and compared to a calibration template. A direction of eye gaze may be determined based upon the comparison. A character or word may be predicted based upon the determination of the direction of eye gaze and a known configuration of an eye gaze board (e.g., an E-tran board). The predicted character or word can be included as a part of a text-based message.

Abstract: An example system for presenting search results includes a computer memory and a processor. The processor is to receive a set of search results in response to a query. The processor is to extract a feature and text from each of the search results. The processor is to also calculate an accessibility score for each of the search results based on the extracted feature and the text. The processor is to further rank the set of search results based on the accessibility score. The processor is to also further present the ranked search results based on an accessibility score of a user.

Abstract: A wearable device conveys information to a user. The device includes a master soft circuit cell and a plurality of actuation soft circuit cells. These cells are physically interconnected to form a garment that is worn by a user and each of these cells includes an electrically non-conductive fabric covering. Each of the actuation cells is electrically connected to and operates under the control of the master cell. The master cell is configured to wirelessly receive actuation instructions and activate a combination of the actuation cells based on the received actuation instructions. Each of the actuation cells is configured to generate a particular actuation that is perceived by one or more senses of the user whenever the actuation cell is activated by the master cell. A system also conveys affective state information to a user.

Abstract: An example system for presenting educational activities includes a computer processor and computer memory including instructions that cause the computer processor to receive a plurality of educational activities. The instructions also cause the processor to determine a learning level for a target user. The instructions further cause the processor to filter the plurality of educational activities for the target user based on the detected learning level for the target user. The instructions also further cause the processor to rank the filtered plurality of educational activities for the target user based on a social factor. The instructions also cause the processor to present the ranked educational activities to the target user in an extended social media feed.

Abstract: An environmental context of a user may be taken into account to enhance the user's communication throughput. An “environmental context” can include spatial surroundings of a user, device, and/or sensor of the device and more broadly to denote the context of the user in a multiplicity of environments such as, for example, the surroundings of a user, a digital environment such as the user or other individuals' interactions with or made near a device, etc. The techniques can include obtaining contextual data to provide context-predicted suggestions of words and/or phrases that a user can select to be output on the user's behalf, In some examples, the techniques can also use contextual data to weight, sort, rank, and/or filter word and/or phrase suggestions.

Abstract: Speech generating devices, communication systems, and methods for communicating using the devices and systems are disclosed herein. In certain examples, the speech generating device includes: a first display device positioned in a first direction, the first display device configured to face a user of the speech generating device; an input device configured to generate a communication to be displayed on the first display device; and a second display device positioned in a second direction different from the first direction, wherein the second display device is configured to display a social cue proxy or an emotional proxy of the generated communication.

Abstract: Speech generating devices, communication systems, and methods for communicating using the devices and systems are disclosed herein. In certain examples, a communication system is configured to receive a generated communication, establish a connection between a speech generating device and a computing device subsequent to receipt of the generated communication, and transmit the generated communication to the computing device. In other examples, a computing device is configured to establish a connection with a speech generating device, and receive a transmission generated by the speech generating device following the connection, the transmission including previously generated communications or real-time communication segments or proxies.

Abstract: Speech generating devices, communication systems, and methods for communicating using the devices and systems are disclosed herein. In certain examples, the speech generating device includes a display device and an input device configured to generate a communication to be displayed on the display device, wherein the speech generating device is configured to allow a user to select between playing the generated communication through a speaker and transmitting the generated communication via a communication network to a computing device separate from the speech generating device. In certain examples, the computing device may be designated with other computing devices of other conversation partners within a conversation group.